Blurring Boundaries
by Miss Anonymous hp
Summary: When a basketball game ends with a trip to the hospital for TK, the digidestined are faced with more than they could have ever bargained for when a normal injury takes an unexpected turn as they are reminded they cannot escape destiny. Or their demons.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. If I did, having a partner digimon would still be a very special and powerful thing.

**Summary**: When a basketball game ends with a trip to the hospital for TK, the digidestined are faced with more than they could have ever bargained for when a normal injury takes an unexpected turn as they are reminded they cannot escape destiny. Or their demons.

**Author's Note**: As a birthday present to myself, I present the first chapter of this story. The second chapter will not be published until C&W is finished, which is right around the corner. Some quick notes: Masato is in honor of one of my favorite authors and best friends on this site, Broken Angel01, and Kira is in honor of another one of my favorite authors and best friends, RoyalKnightX. I use the dub names for the story, but I do try to keep the location obviously in Japan. The setting is as followed: 3 years after the destruction of MaloMyotismon; Joe, Tai, Matt, Sora, and Mimi are all in college, Izzy, Yolei, TK, Kari, Davis, and Ken are all in high school, and Cody is still in middle school. Thank you to everyone who gave me encouragement while writing this story!

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

"I don't understand this game!" Mimi cried loudly, throwing her hands up in the air.

Joe, her boyfriend of three months who sat on her left, gave a quiet chuckle in an obvious 'don't look at me' manner. He was definitely not the person to go to when it came to explaining the finer points of basketball. On her other side sat Ken, Yolei's boyfriend. Actually, the majority of an entire row of the bleachers in the high school gymnasium was being taken up by the digidestined with the last few precious spots going to family members who had wanted to see the game. The only person not present was Kari, TK's best friend (and possibly more though neither verified her suspicious claims), who was standing down on the gymnasium floor on the sidelines. She was wearing her dance uniform as she would be performing during halftime with the rest of the dance team, though she seemed more interested in watching the game at the moment.

Even now, Mimi could hear her screaming all the way up from her spot on the bleachers, "_Go TK!"_

But that was mostly put to shame by Davis's scream from somewhere to Mimi's right: "_YOU CAN DO IT, TA! KICK THEIR BUTTS!_"

The pink-haired girl felt a little hypocritical for snapping at anyone for being loud and obnoxious, so she nudged Joe to do it for her. Leave it to the neurotic future doctor to deal with it. Brilliant plan, really.

"Would someone care to explain to me what just happened?" she whined, looking on either side of her, hoping that someone would come to her rescue.

Going down the bleachers to her left, on Joe's other side sat Cody with Upamon in his lap and Izzy, both of whom were managing to enjoy the game in a slightly quieter fashion. In complete contrast was Davis with DemiVeemon who sat on Izzy's other side. Next to him was his sister Jun who seemed to switch between screaming her head off with her brother and sending longing looks over at Matt who sat at the other end of the bleachers (this seating arrangement was not on accident).

To Mimi's right, Ken and Minomon sat with Yolei and Poromon by his side. Yolei was obviously trying to compete with Davis for being the loudest in the bleachers, but she didn't grate on Mimi's ears nearly as bad as Davis did. Sora sat next to the rather excited girl with her hand in Tai's who had a very attentive Gatomon in his lap. The human couple was wearing identical looks of excitement as their eyes followed the ball, never missing a movement. Mimi was of the belief that neither had blinked since the game started. Next to Tai sat his best friend and TK's older brother, Matt, who was holding Patamon. Though he wasn't the loudest, the usually calm and collected blonde definitely had the most school spirit out of all of the digidestined present. It just screamed _my brother is playing!_ Even Patamon was in on the action, foregoing the need to be a stuffed animal so that he could cheer for his partner with the rest of the humans. Luckily, no one seemed to notice. TK and Matt's parents, who sat on their other side, were no better. The Ishida/Takaishi family was all decked out in green and white, the school colors.

For all of Mimi's lack of understanding, this was a very fun outing for the longtime friends. Though nearly half of the former digidestined had long since graduated, almost every single one of them had attended the high school at one point (including Mimi who had a late start after moving back to Japan). Izzy was just finishing up his last year of high school while Cody was the only one who hadn't yet attended the school at all and that would be changing in two years. Now, the younger generation was ruling the halls with two of them being impressive sports stars; Ken dominated the soccer field while TK took control of basketball. At least, that's what she was told. She didn't understand either sport or the rules as seen by the aforementioned question.

Davis was also on the soccer team, though an injury at the beginning of the school year was keeping him benched at the moment until he was at 100% again. Luckily, this did nothing to hinder his spirit. From what Mimi had heard, though, his first few games had been more than just a little impressive.

TK was relatively easy to pick out on the floor of the gymnasium. Other than being the only blonde amongst all of the players (making his golden locks stand out even more than usual), he was also the smallest person on the court. Even though TK easily towered over many of the digidestined already, his height was nothing compared to the other basketball players that Mimi secretly swore all had to be some form of mutants. It didn't help that TK was also two years younger than most of the players either being the only sophomore who had made it onto the team. And though she spotted him with the ball _a lot_, and she had figured out that this was a good thing, she still couldn't say exactly what was going on half the time.

"That was a three-point field goal," Ken spoke up, knocking Mimi out of her thoughts. She had nearly completely forgotten that she had asked for help in the first place. The former genius had a thoughtful look on his face as he tried to come up with a way to explain things in a way that the pink-haired girl would understand. Maybe. "What that means is that…"

"Oh, Ken," Sora said with a grin as she looked over Yolei to stare at them both. "Don't even bother. We've tried to explain the finer points of sports to her several times before. She's never going to get it." Mimi huffed in response and the redhead looked at her with a grin. "All you need to know is that when someone in green has the ball that's a good thing, and sometimes that someone is TK. When our team manages to get the ball through one of the hoops, we get points, and when the buzzer sounds at the end of the game, whoever has the most points wins."

Mimi stuck her tongue out at her childhood friend and earned a light laugh for her effort. Ken, much to the pink-haired girl's pleasure, ignored Sora's warning and continued to try to explain the game to her with Minomon's help. Most of it went over her head, but she did try to soak up some of the information he was feeding her. He spent extra amount of time explaining the positions of point guard and shooting guard, since those were the two positions that TK would take when they were trying to score. He also took care to explain why TK kept ending up with several boys in purple (the other team's colors) trying to block him and push him to the ground.

Everywhere around her, people were screaming and cheering, and Mimi noticed that the cheering seemed to get particularly louder when TK managed to take (or "steal" as Ken explained was the correct term) the ball from the other team. In particular, there was a group of three girls two rows in front of them that kept screaming TK's name at the top of their lungs. Luckily, they were mostly drowned out by the roars of the rest of the crowd. It seemed that even though TK was the youngest and smallest person on the team, that in no way discounted him as a player. In fact, that just meant that he was a very _good_ player.

Nearly every pass he made hit its mark, every steal was done from a surprising low point that led to success, and every "three-point field goal" that the blonde dared to attempt landed with perfect accuracy. Ken explained that TK had managed to make four 3-pointers so far in the game and had stolen the ball no less than six times, which was probably making the other team very unhappy and ready to get him off of the court.

Mimi nodded, having only understood half of what Ken explained about fouls, scoring, rebounding, shooting, etc. But half was better than nothing, and she felt quite good about the amount of useful information she had managed to acquire. In the meantime, the other team had scored and then the home team had received control of the ball and managed to score as well. Now, the other team had possession of the ball, which was quickly changed when it was stolen out from under them by TK once again putting them back in control.

"So, that's a good thing!" she announced more than asked.

Joe laughed. "Yes, that's a good thing."

"If you ever get confused, Mimi, just check the scoreboard," Ken offered, pointing up toward it.

"Yeah, we're winning," Minomon announced, squirming in Ken's lap happily.

"We're winning in large part to TK!" Tai announced brightly.

"You'd think he'd raised TK himself," Gatomon said dryly.

"Hey!" Matt said, nudging his friend in the side. "That's _my_ brother." If possible, the pride in the rocker's voice was even brighter than Tai's.

"And that's _my_ partner! _Go TK!_" Patamon cheered loudly, but luckily no one even seemed to notice the little digimon.

Matt gave a sudden whoop that was echoed by his overly excited parents and his brother's partner as TK made another flawless pass to a teammate who managed to earn the team another two points. Mimi couldn't help but laugh at the usually reserved blonde, but even she cheered with the rest of the crowd. The energy and excitement was contagious.

The buzzer sounded, announcing the end of the first quarter, and she watched as the team trotted over to the sidelines to converse with their coach and benched players. She watched as several of the teammates patted TK on the back as he joined them and grabbed his water bottle. He glanced toward the bleachers and gave a wave in their general direction even though Mimi knew that he probably couldn't see them amongst the lights and crowd. Even so, Mimi waved back, knowing that it was the thought that counted.

"TK's playing really well today," Cody said, his eyes intently watching his DNA Digivolving partner.

Upamon looked up at him. "Isn't he supposed to?" he asked. He seemed to understand even less of what was going on than Mimi, which was quite the feat.

"He plays well every game," Izzy immediately responded, but then he paused and added, "but he does seem to be really shining tonight. But it might be because of the lack of coordination on the other team."

"Yeah, that's because the other team _sucks!_" Davis yelled, though luckily his voice didn't travel as far as it would have otherwise as Jun had seen it acceptable to elbow him suddenly rather painfully in the stomach.

"Don't embarrass me!" she snapped.

"You're crazy!" Davis whined, clutching his sides.

"Maybe you shouldn't say such mean things so loudly, Davish," DemiVeemon suggested as he sent wary looks toward Jun.

"You might want to keep your voice down, Davis," Joe said calmly, though the way his lips were twitching showed how truly amused he felt. "Most of the other team looks like they could snap you in half."

"They look like they could snap _TB_ in half, and he's creaming them!" Davis protested.

"That's because he has something called skill," Matt offered with a wide grin, and Mimi knew that no one, not even TK's own parents, could possibly feel prouder.

x X x

"You could have made the shot," Shinji said blandly to TK from the bench.

Shinji was a senior and had been a starting player the year before when TK had still been in middle school, but ever since the blonde had joined the team, he had been benched. The only thing that salvaged their tenuous relationship was the fact that TK was helping them to win games, which meant that Shinji might actually see a championship in his last year of high school.

"Nice pass, TK," Kira said, rolling his eyes at Shinji's words. "That was a good call. Number 37 was just waiting for you to try to make the score yourself, so you really threw them off their game. Keep this up, and we'll win for sure."

TK beamed up at the captain of the team and refrained from commenting on the rather snide remark. He wasn't someone that reveled in conflict. He didn't join the team to boot someone to the bench; it just turned out that way.

"Thanks, Kira," he said as he quickly took a drink from his water bottle before putting it back down.

The break was short before the second quarter was ready to start again and he was jogging back out onto the court. Masato, small forward of the team and another one of the starting players, clapped a hand on TK's shoulder as he passed and tossed him a reassuring smile. He was a junior and one of TK's real friends on the team, a friendship that had carried over from two years ago when they had been on the same basketball team in middle school.

"Ignore Shinji," he said lowly, tossing an annoyed glare over his shoulder for emphasis. "He's just jealous because all he's good for is warming the bench."

"I could probably get Yolei to explain to him how it's all done," TK said lightly. "She says it's all physics; I just go off of instinct."

"Don't give her any ideas!" Yoshio, the starting power forward, said with a startled look on her face. "I don't want to get stuck with another hour long lecture."

"It's your own fault for spilling your drink on her last week," Nobuto, who played center and was easily the tallest player on the team even if he wasn't the tallest player on the court at the moment, said with a smirk. "Maybe you should watch where you're going."

Yoshio made a face while Masato and Nobuto laughed and ran off to go get into position.

From somewhere to TK's left, he heard someone scream, "_Go TK!"_ and he felt his heart leap up into his throat. He allowed his blue eyes to avert from the referee who was about to throw the ball back onto the court so that he could see the chestnut haired girl that was cheering for him on the sidelines. Kari caught him looking and gave an eager wave that he met with a wide grin of his own. The sound of a whistle blowing made his eyes snap back into focus as the game was off once again.

TK never really saw himself as popular. He tended to leave titles like that up to his rockstar brother Matt, but he knew he was well-liked. He knew a large part of people liking him had to do with his talent on the court as well. Soccer was the more popular sport at the high school; it was only natural with the legacy that Tai Kamiya had left behind. But ever since TK had started playing (and the team had started winning), the bleachers of the gymnasium had gotten subsequently more and more full with each game.

But in all reality, he didn't fully care about any of that. As long as his family and friends were present, he could care less if the rest of the bleachers were as empty as could be. Every so often, he would hear a shout that he just knew was one of them, and it would encourage him to try a little harder and do a little better. And when he could identify the cheering as Kari? Well, honestly, it made him a little flustered, but it was in a good way. It kept him on his toes.

The length of each quarter (a mere eight minutes) wasn't really that long, but when TK was on the court, it always felt like so much longer. He knew that if they entered halftime with more than 25 points ahead, they would be in excellent shape to win the game. He was spending most of his time dodging around the opposing team members to swipe the ball out from under them before dribbling it back to the opposite end of the court where he would pass it off, acting as point guard while Kira took on the role of shooting guard for the quarter.

As they scored again thanks to Masato's quick shooting, TK allowed himself a moment to look up in the stands. Finding his brother was easy, even in the sea of green on the home team's side. His bright blonde hair stuck out as badly as TK's own, but in this moment, the 15-year-old found himself glad for that fact. He shot two thumbs up toward him with an excited smile before he was tearing off after the opposing team's Number 17 who was in possession of the ball.

A quick glance toward the clock revealed that there was less than half a minute left of the quarter. This would be the last play.

Number 17 passed the ball over to Number 8 who attempted to score and missed, sending the ball bouncing off of the backboard. TK was right there, swiping the ball from the air before it ever even landed on the ground, and then he was taking off across the court, racing back toward the other hoop. Using his height to his advantage, TK dodged around Number 21 who attempted to steal the ball back from him and managed to get to the other side before he was blocked by Number 76.

He faked a pass toward Masato that sent Number 76 stumbling to the right before he threw the ball to Kira who caught it easily. All TK needed to see was the ball sailing through the air toward the hoop as the buzzer sounded to know that they had ended halftime right where they wanted to. The gymnasium exploded with cheers, and TK gave a mental "whoop" as the ball sailed through the net, putting three more points onto their score.

…And then something slammed into TK's side like a truck. The air was pushed out of his lungs and his feet were whipped out clean from under him. He vaguely heard – or was it felt? – something snap from where he crashed into the ground. Maybe it was more than one snap, but all he knew was pain in the moment before his head slammed into the ground hard. The gymnasium overhead lights swam into focus for a moment as he wondered idly if they would get a free throw for that foul before everything went black.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. If I did, I would probably be an expert on Japanese culture, which I am not!

**Author's Note**: I know, I know, I am such a liar. C&W is not finished yet, and yet here is the second chapter! I just do not feel comfortable making you all wait more than a month for an update when I already have the next chapter written. So, I hope this chapter was well worth the wait. One of my biggest complaints about C&W was how much of a pain it was to try to create great brotherly moments between TK and Matt without it seeming forced. This story has really allowed me to explore that, and I hope you all enjoy the brothers as much as I do. The story really focuses on all of the digidestined, but there really isn't any doubt that TK and Matt kind of shine above the rest.

There was some confusion as to the ages that I mentioned in the previous chapter, so here they are again in more detail. I know there are different beliefs of ages and that the ages change from country to country, so here is how I've always interpreted the ages. In season one, TK and Kari were 8 years old (with TK being younger than Kari by several months); Izzy was 10 years old; Tai, Sora, Matt, and Mimi were 12 years old (with Mimi as the youngest); and Joe was 13 years old. In season two, it takes place 4 years later with TK, Kari, Davis, and Ken at 12 years old; Cody is 10 years old; Yolei is 13 years old; Izzy is 14 years old; Tai, Sora, Matt, and Mimi are 16 years old; and Joe is 17 years old. This fic takes place 3 years after that with TK, Kari, Davis, and Ken at 15/16 years old (depending on where their birthdays fall) and in their first year of high school since in Japan, many of their high schools start at grade 10; Cody is 13 years old; Yolei is 16 years old; Izzy is 17 years old; Tai, Sora, Matt, and Mimi are 19 years old and in college; and Joe is 20 years old. I hope this better clarifies things for everybody! I know that these ages aren't believed by everybody or even used in every country where Digimon airs, but hopefully this helps to put us all on the same page.

Also, a quick shout out to Ultrawolfie who said, "Hope the a**hole gets his butt kicked by Matt." Not only did you make me laugh, but I hope that I delivered enough to satisfy you and the rest of my readers as well!

Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

Kari knew that the second that Kira had the ball, they were going to score. He wasn't the main shooting guard for nothing, after all. She didn't waste any time to start cheering, and she was echoed by the rest of her dance squad and the gymnasium. To her left, she heard Minami, one of the other dancers on the squad, shout, "We are _so_ going to win!" She opened her mouth to agree with her when she saw the tallest boy on the court, Number 37 of the opposing team, still moving toward TK. Kari lost her smile. The halftime buzzer sounded. TK had relaxed, thinking the play was over. Kari couldn't even warn him.

It happened like it was in slow motion. Number 37 slammed into the blonde digidestined, like a flyswatter hitting a fly. Kari's chest felt tight, but she found herself unable to move. Even if she had been able to find some mobility, she was too far away to do anything other than watch. The referees were blowing whistles, hand signals were being tossed around, but Kari didn't hear or see any of them. That snapping sound that she heard when the guy who had to be 120 kg at least slammed into the Child of Hope could have only been bones breaking.

TK's body jerked as he was slammed into. Painful resounding snaps echoed in Kari's ears as he hit the wooden floor of the gymnasium with a sickening _thud_. Number 37 landed painfully on top of him.

_TK!_

Her legs were carrying her forward in a fast sprint even as her mind seemed ready to shut down in shock. It took all of the willpower that she had to not give in and attempt to spare herself from the sight that she knew would be waiting for her ahead. She ran faster than she ever had before, faster than any time she had been running from crazed digimon. Her feet staggered beneath her only once during her sprint as she fought down the overwhelming fear over the fact that her best friend wasn't moving to get back up.

Kari pushed past the stunned players. Yoshio actually stumbled as she shoved past him and fell backwards, unable to break himself out of his horrified daze well enough to catch his footing. The guy that had blindsided TK was getting up, smugly, and completely unscathed. Kari ignored him in favor of dropping by TK's side. At some point during her sprint, she dropped both of her dance fans. She had beaten the coaches to the blonde; they were now jogging across the court toward the two of them.

"TK," she whispered hesitantly, as if her words would break him.

He looked awful and that realization alone made most of the color in her face drain. His right arm was twisted awkwardly under his body and bent at a painful looking angle while his neck was tilted so that his blonde tresses splayed out against the maple wood floor. His eyes were shut, and his face was deathly pale.

Unshed tears were gathering within Kari's eyes, but her gaze was nothing but icy as she turned to look at Number 37. He was still wearing that same smug smile, obviously proud of what he had done. That smile was quickly wiped off his face, though, when a fist came out of nowhere and clocked him across his jaw.

x X x

Matt leapt to his feet. Patamon screamed in his hands, which was luckily drowned out by the still confused crowd who were shocked as to what had just happened. A shaking hand quickly moved to clamp over the little digimon's mouth as realization spread throughout the crowd, filling the gymnasium with a stunned deafening silence.

"Oh my god," Nancy tearfully gasped.

He wasn't getting up.

_Why isn't TK getting up?_

Even in the bleachers, the _crack_ had been heard. No one could have missed it after the other action had stopped. The play had been over; the halftime buzzer had officially sounded. And the sound continued to echo through Matt's ears.

Matt was used to seeing his brother and even his friends get hit and thrown to the ground time and time again. It was the nature of playing sports; people tended to get a little rough. Even though he had seen it many times before, he still winced anxiously and waited with baited breath for them to bounce back up and shake it off. And they always did, every single one of them.

Hadn't it only been a little over two months ago that Davis had been subject to some jerk deciding to aim for his ankle with a kick instead of the soccer ball he had been traveling with? He had completely broken his ankle that day, but even then, after having his legs swept out from under him, he still managed to sit up through his pain and wave at the crowd with a large grin on his face.

But none of them had quite been blindsided like this before. Not after a play was over. TK wasn't going to be getting up this time.

"Tai," Matt spoke, his voice shaking. He had not even been sure if he was going to be able to get his vocal chords to work. "He's not getting back up."

_Why isn't he getting back up?_

He wasn't even aware that he was moving until he had managed to get past his parents, both of whom were still too shocked to move. Only one arm was holding Patamon now as he took the aisle stairs two at a time and he rushed to get to his brother's side. He was no longer covering the little orange Digimon's mouth, but Patamon seemed to have gotten his emotions under control. For now, anyway.

Whether anyone was following him, he couldn't say for sure. His focus was zeroed in on his brother as he watched Kari reach TK's side and fall next to him. He couldn't see his brother very well, but he could see the way that her face lost color. He felt his panic rise as Kari adopted a look that could only be described as absolute fury as she turned to look at the offender that had hurt his brother. That confirmed the overwhelming brotherly instinct that told him that something was very wrong. Kari never got angry and especially not with that much passion, unless something happened to her family or one of her friends.

Matt dropped to his knees on TK's other side and let out a small whine. He had dropped Patamon at some point, but luckily everyone was too focused on TK to notice as the small little digimon managed to gently glide to the ground and then moved to nuzzle closer to his partner. Matt wasn't sure if he should even venture to touch his brother at the moment. He looked so small and frail laying there.

The sudden _crack_ of a fist connecting with someone's jaw tore his eyes away from his brother's broken frame. Number 37 crashed to the ground with the force of the punch; more whistles blew and more hand signals were thrown around; but Davis wasn't done with him yet.

"Why don't you attack someone who's actually facing you, coward!" Davis yelled as he jumped forward to grab the front of the guy's jersey in his fists.

He lifted him halfway off the ground before he was rearing back a fist to punch him again. This time, he went down with him as he dug one of his knees painfully into his chest. Matt briefly wondered where DemiVeemon had gone.

"What was that!" he shouted into his face as he punched him again. "You couldn't outplay him while the game was actually going, so you decided to take him out! That play was over, you son of a—"

Ken was there, wrapping his arms around Davis's chest as he attempted to haul the outraged boy off of the taller basketball player. It took the combined efforts of Ken, Masato, and Kira to finally manage to pull Davis away from doing further damage. Number 17 was now standing between his teammate and Davis, and Matt growled, deciding that Number 37 hadn't gotten a good enough of a beating. He was halfway to his feet when he felt a calming hand land on his shoulder.

He looked up to find Tai standing there, looking solemn and just as angry as Davis, but he was holding it in unlike the younger gogglehead. Matt understood that look, though, without Tai having to say a word. Now was not the time for fighting. They had more pressing matters at hand.

That did not stop the blue-eyed man from pinning Number 37 with his frostiest glare. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Davis finally stop struggling against Ken and the two basketball players, though he knew that the boy was nowhere near calm. One of the referees had finally made their way over to Number 37 and was conversing with him. Another referee was in the middle of flagging down the paramedics that stood on the sidelines for very rare occasions such as this. Seeing that slightly smug smile back on the jerk's face that had decided to use his little brother for a bowling pin, Matt almost took that moment to just completely ignore Tai altogether and wipe it off himself. But as if being able to read his mind, he felt Tai's grip on his shoulder tighten, and his resolve faded away.

The basketball coach was ushering everyone off of the court as the paramedics jogged toward TK's fallen form, but Matt just reached out to hold onto his baby brother's hand, not wanting to be away from him. Even Kari, who looked ill at the thought of leaving TK's side, was moving to stand as she gathered Patamon and Gatomon (who had escaped Tai's hold to offer the other digimon some much needed comfort) into her arms. Everybody was retreating to the sidelines, but Matt couldn't move.

"Son, you have to let the paramedics do their job," the coach said gently from his left.

Matt could see that the rest of the digidestined had all made it to the floor of the gymnasium as well. They were all standing with the rest of the basketball team, their faces shining with worry. He could even see Shinji Yoshida, whom TK had been joking about since the beginning of the year as the guy that was secretly plotting to "take him out," pale-faced and angry over what had happened.

"TK," he whispered weakly, tightening his grip on his brother's hand even as the paramedics moved to bend over him.

"Matt," a gentle but firm voice said to his right. "Let your brother go so that the paramedics can help him."

He turned to see his father, Hiroaki Ishida, standing there. He had a grave and slightly ill look on his face. Nancy, who stood several paces behind him, looked far worse.

"Dad, I—" _can't_ was going to finish that sentence when he felt someone suddenly grab his arm.

"Matt, come on."

_Tai_. Had it been anyone else, Matt wouldn't have hesitated in hitting them in that moment. However, as he looked up at his best friend for nearly a decade, he knew that Tai wanted nothing more than to help. So, he let go of TK's hand and allowed Tai to drag him just far enough away to give the paramedics some room. He didn't dare try to get him to backup further, for which he was grateful.

The paramedics were wrapping a cervical collar around TK's neck and were gently turning him over to strap him onto a backboard. He felt his throat go tight, or maybe it had been tight the entire time, as tears began to prickle at the corner of his eyes. He hated this. He wanted to _do_ something. Anything.

TK had never been seriously injured before. Sure, there had been several close calls, most of them having to do with the Digital World. He remembered hearing many of the stories afterward about how his little brother had nearly drowned while trying to get to Odaiba, or about how he had nearly fallen to his death just to be saved in the nick of time by MagnaAngemon, or about how he and Kari had foolishly raced ahead of the group just to be thrown out of the sky by the sheer power of BlackWarGreymon's first appearance. Every story and every instance that he could even recall from when he had been there was enough to make him want to lock the younger boy in a room and never let him near anything dangerous again, but Matt knew that TK was a digidestined and that wasn't just something one could hide from.

Being a digidestined just naturally meant that danger and near death experiences came with the package. But this? This was so painstakingly _normal_, and Matt knew that he couldn't just call up Gabumon and have him fix it for him. That wasn't how this was going to work this time, and he wasn't sure if he could handle that.

The paramedics were loading TK onto a stretcher before they started to wheel him out of the gymnasium. Matt immediately moved to follow, jogging after them, not wanting to let his brother out of his sight. Behind him, he could hear a dozen pairs of feet following. Somehow, Nancy Takaishi had managed to get ahead of her oldest son and was quickly conversing with one of the paramedics as they walked out into the chilly winter air and out to the ambulance. He caught the note that only one person could ride with TK in the ambulance, and he jumped forward.

"Mom, _please_," he begged.

Nancy immediately looked torn between not wanting to leave her baby boy and not wanting to separate the two brothers. She looked at Hiroaki, who studied her for a moment before nodding at Matt. The blonde sighed in relief and was about to climb into the ambulance when he hesitated and turned back toward the other digidestined who had followed them out. He walked up to Kari and gathered a trembling Patamon into his hands. Sora rubbed his arm comfortingly before he walked back over to the ambulance and climbed inside, taking TK's uninjured hand into his own.

"TK," Patamon whined quietly.

The paramedic did not even bat an eye, obviously thinking the small voice had been Matt. He ran his thumb comfortingly over his brother's knuckles, but whether he was trying to comfort his little brother or himself, he wasn't sure. He looked out toward the rest of the digidestined, unable to keep a brave face for them.

"We'll meet up with you at the hospital, Matt," Tai said immediately, letting him know that he wouldn't be alone.

"We'll all be there," Joe echoed, a grave look on his face.

The others nodded at this assessment as if they had managed to somehow talk about it beforehand.

Nancy was smoothing out TK's hair frantically, as if that would make all the difference, before placing a kiss to his forehead. "I love you, TK. Everything's going to be okay. Your brother's going to be right here with you. So, don't you worry about a thing." Her voice was wavering as she spoke, disrupting the air of calm that she was obviously trying to exude in front of both of her sons even while one was unconscious. Reluctantly, after one last kiss to TK's cheek and one that she spared for Matt as well, Nancy stepped out of the ambulance.

"We'll be right behind you," Hiroaki promised as he put a comforting arm around Nancy's shoulders.

And then the ambulance doors closed.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. Restrictions may apply.

**Author's Note**: Next chapter of C&W should be posted momentarily.

Thank you to Kamakaze Kheri who pointed out inaccuracies in my basketball information! I have gone back and edited chapter one to hopefully be more more accurate. I am always looking for little constructive criticism like that, so thank you, thank you! And really, thank you to all of my reviewers. Seeing those little emails give me so much encouragement, whether good or bad. At least I know someone's reading!

The medical information in this chapter (and future chapters) is based off of American medicine. I did a lot of research for this story, but I drew the line at trying to write about something I only marginally know about (medicine) in a culture and setting I know next to nothing about (Japan). So, I hope you guys can forgive me! I decided that writing something smoothly was the best bet.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Patamon was dutifully silent as he settled in Matt's arms. His entire body was trembling from the emotions that were plaguing the small digimon, but he could tell from Matt's own shaking that he had his own grief and worry to deal with. Even so, he felt extremely grateful toward his partner's brother for deciding to take him along, no matter how strange it must look for a 19-year-old to be taking a stuffed animal with him into an ambulance.

Neither paramedic commented on his being there or even seemed to notice him, giving him enough courage to reach out with one of his wings to rest it on the back of TK's hand that was clasped tightly in Matt's. The male paramedic climbed up front, settling into the driver's seat, while the female remained in the back with Matt, TK, and Patamon. She grabbed a clipboard, scribbled some notes on it, and then grabbed several things from drawers and cabinets around the ambulance.

Matt leaned toward TK, squishing Patamon between his chest and his lap, but he didn't mind. In this situation, it was almost comforting.

"Hey, Teeks, you need to open your eyes, okay?" Matt whispered.

Patamon rubbed the back of his partner's hand subtly in encouragement for him to do just that. TK didn't stir, and he was so pale. He didn't like this at all. Usually, he was the one getting hurt, but as long as TK was safe, he was okay with that. This wasn't normal, and it didn't feel right to the digimon. The woman grabbed a non-rebreather mask before turning on the oxygen and placing the mask over TK's nose and mouth.

Light misting began to fill the inside of the mask as TK breathed shallowly. Even if it was shallow, at least it was still breathing. The female paramedic came around to TK's left side where Matt was sitting with Patamon still squashed in his lap.

"I need to take his blood pressure," she said gently, speaking to Matt of course.

Her voice sounded so calm, and Patamon felt Matt's grip on him tighten slightly. Without even looking up, the digimon knew that her calmness was doing very little at keeping the older brother calm and instead was probably irritating him more than anything. Either way, Matt said nothing and simply slid further down to give her room, dropping TK's hand and Patamon's link to his partner as he did. Patamon gave a small whine at the loss of connection, but luckily the paramedic did not seem to hear.

The woman continued to take TK's vitals and note them down. She pulled out a penlight and pried back TK's eyelids, shining the light down at each pupil, before jotting down whatever she saw, too.

The ambulance started forward with a lurch, heading out of the parking lot of the gymnasium and onto the road. As the wheels turned out onto the street, the sirens were turned on, and Patamon realized that the lights must be flashing too. When he had come to the Human World for the first time, the ambulance was one of those things that had fascinated the digimon the most at the time.

x X x

"_Oh, TK!" Patamon gasped as he watched some large machine turn onto the street that he and his partner were walking down. He was sitting on top of TK's green helmet as he stared at the wonders of the Human World. A lot of the odd and much taller humans were shooting them strange looks, but the eight-year-old didn't seem concerned, so Patamon wasn't either. "What's that?" _

_TK turned to look at what Patamon was pointing at with his ear before his face lit up. "That's an ambulance! It's the fastest, coolest vehicle ever! Well, second to maybe fire trucks, but they're up there!" he said enthusiastically. _

"_An am-blance?" Patamon asked, watching as it zoomed down the street. "What's it used for?" _

"_It's to help people who are sick and injured. It comes and picks them up and then rushes them to the hospital so that doctors can make them all better again," he explained, not taking his blue eyes off of the vehicle. _

"_How cool," Patamon said._

_By now, the ambulance was passing where the two of them stood on the sidewalk. It was moving so fast, that Patamon knew that even if he tried, he would never be able to catch up to it. _

Maybe I could as Angemon!_ he thought proudly. _

"_Can we ride in one?" he asked, watching as the ambulance got further and further from them. _

"_No way," TK said smartly. "Mom says you can only ride in one if you're really sick or really hurt." _

"_Oh," Patamon said, deflated. _

_TK looked up at him. "But sometimes the people that drive them visit my school and show them off and let us get into them and stuff. Maybe I can take you when school starts up again and show you the inside of it!" _

_Patamon perked up immediately. "Oh, yeah! You think so, TK?" _

"_Definitely!" _

x X x

This was not how Patamon had imagined being able to see the inside of an ambulance, and he would rather never see it if this was the only way he could get this experience.

"What's your name?" the female paramedic asked gently.

Patamon looked up even as he knew that she wasn't talking to him. Her eyes were watching the older blonde with a kind and sympathetic gaze. She got up and moved around back to TK's other side, making notes on her chart as she went.

"Matt," the youth managed to get out, though his voice cracked slightly.

The digimon was focusing on the way that TK's breath kept creating condensation on the inside of the mask. He kept hoping to see some sign of his partner stirring. Matt shifted back over and took TK's hand once again in his own, and Patamon reached out to form that connection between them, too. He hoped he was imagining the fact that the back of TK's hand seemed more clammy than usual.

"Matt, I'm Rumi," she told him. "You must be his older brother."

Matt nodded mutely in response. Patamon noticed Matt give TK's hand a bit of a squeeze, and he knew that the older digidestined was hoping for TK to wake up as much as he was.

The paramedic spoke up again. "You two must be awfully close. We're going to take good care of him."

Again, Matt's answer was nonverbal. Patamon wasn't even sure if he was looking at her. The digimon certainly wasn't. All of his focus was on TK. Had he just imagined that flicker of his eyelids? When he saw no other movement, he realized that he must have.

"How old is he?" Rumi asked, trying to get necessary information out of him while at the same time trying to calm his fears.

"Fifteen," Matt answered listlessly.

He had turned fifteen at the beginning of the summer, right after his last year of middle school had come to a close. Everybody had been invited to his party, and Davis had seen fit to push TK into the nearby pool. Yolei had spent the good part of the rest of the day yelling at Davis for being so inconsiderate as she completely ignored the way that TK laughed it off. By the end of the day, every boy had managed to jump (or, more commonly, be pushed) into the pool. Most of the victims, Davis included, had been by TK's own hands.

"Does he have any allergies? Is he on any medications?" the female paramedic continued.

"No," the blonde answered immediately, giving his head a slight shake.

Patamon gave a quiet sniffle as he caressed the back of his partner's hand with his ear. _Please wake up_, he begged silently.

x X x

_Please wake up_, Matt pleaded, squeezing his brother's hand in his own.

This time, Matt knew that he wasn't imagining it when he felt TK's fingers twitch in his hand. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, thanking whoever it was that decided to answer his prayer. He opened his blue eyes and leaned closer toward his brother, watching his face unblinking. He had to be waking up. Matt wasn't sure what he would do if he didn't.

"TK? Hey, Teeks, can you hear me?" he said lowly, not wanting to agitate his little brother but wanting to rouse him at the same time. "You need to try to open your eyes, okay?"

The paramedic set her clipboard to the side as she moved to stand over TK opposite of Matt. She abandoned her questioning of the older brother in favor of watching the patient that seemed to be waking. After a long moment of nothing, TK suddenly gave a soft groan. His eyelids were definitely fluttering now. In his lap, Matt could feel Patamon perking up, and he knew that the digimon must be feeling the same relief that he was experiencing at the moment. TK opened his eyes a crack before wincing and squeezing them shut once more. His next attempt was done with a bit more caution.

"Wha… Matt?"

TK's voice was weak and muffled by the mask over his face. He hadn't actually caught sight of his brother, unable to really move his head thanks to the cervical brace, but Matt squeezed his hand encouragingly anyway as he stood so that his baby brother could actually see him. His free hand continued to hold Patamon securely to his chest so that his brother could see him too.

"Yeah, Teeks, I'm right here," Matt said with a small comforting smile.

Eyes that were generally bright blue were a dark sickly green at the moment and filled with pain. As relieved as Matt felt to see TK awake again, he would do anything to take away whatever his little brother was feeling at the moment. He looked so confused and disoriented, frightened.

"Hi there," Rumi said, leaning forward so that she was in TK's line of vision as well. "I need to ask you a few questions. Can you tell me your name?"

"T-Takeru…" came the muffled response. He followed that up with a slight grown. "…It hurts… M-Matt… I want Mom…"

"Mom and Dad are going to meet us at the hospital," Matt said gently in a voice that was usually reserved for only those that he held dear to his heart. The fact that this female paramedic was overhearing him in this state was almost embarrassing, but his brother was more important than any sort of stance that he put on in front of the world. "I'm right here, though, and I'm not going anywhere." He squeezed TK's hand as if to prove that. "Do you remember what happened?"

"…We were winning?" TK asked in a small voice, sounding confused as if he thought he might have made that up. "S-Somone hit me?" It was somewhere between a statement and a question.

The paramedic wore a patient smile as the exchange between the two brothers went on, but there were still questions that she needed to ask, especially now that TK was lucid and able to respond. She held a hand in front of his face and said, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"…Tw-… Three," he stuttered, sounding confused. "They're blurry…" TK's fingers twitched in his hand, and Matt watched as his little brother closed his eyes as if trying to stop his vision from swimming and possibly catch his breath. His chest did seem to be rising and falling at a much more rapid rate than it was when he had been unconscious. Pain was etched into his angelic features and when TK's eyes opened again, they were watery and filled with fear. "…Hurts to breathe…"

"You've probably got some cracked ribs. Just try to take slow, easy breaths," Rumi said gently. She waited a moment, as if to make sure that he was actually attempting to do that, before asking her next question. "Can you tell me what else hurts, Takeru?"

A look crossed TK's face that appeared as if he was trying to think really hard as he attempted to pinpoint exactly what was causing him pain. "…My right side… hip… everything," he groaned that turned into a slight whimper. "My arm… I can't f-feel…"

TK squeezed his eyes shut in an obvious effort to keep himself calm, and Matt felt his heart breaking as he watched a few tears escape out of the corner of his injured brother's eyes. Matt's hold on TK's hand tightened as he tried to send him feelings of reassurance.

"M-My head feels… feels like there's a marching band playing in it," TK said with a pale excuse to lighten the mood, "…and like there's a Monochromon sitting on my chest…"

That was a little bit more encouraging to Matt more than anything else. If TK was still trying to keep the mood light with his easy humor and never-ending optimism, then he had to be somewhat alright. Even the paramedic's confused look at the mention of the digimon couldn't worry the older blonde at the moment. If TK wanted to make digimon jokes for the rest of the ride, Matt would let him.

But even so, Matt felt the need to quickly translate for Rumi, "Something really heavy and large."

Agony crossed TK's face suddenly that forced him to squeeze his eyes shut once more and let out a small whimpering moan. That threw Matt's hopes out the window. His panting, panicked breathing was misting faster against the oxygen mask. TK's hand tightened its grip against Matt's further against each hyperventilating breath. He was scared. Matt was scared too. And Patamon, who had managed to stop trembling once TK had woken up, was shaking once again.

"Calm down, Takeru. Slow, easy breaths, okay?" the female paramedic said in a calming tone. At least, it was meant to be calming. Matt could tell that her instructions were urgent and necessary. TK opened his eyes again, fear shining in his misty gaze. "You have a concussion and a couple of broken bones, but we're taking you to the hospital where they'll patch you up, good as new, okay?"

"O-okay."

TK didn't sound convinced to Matt, but he seemed to relax enough that his breathing wasn't so ragged. Matt tried not to frown with worry as he continued to rub his thumb over the back of his brother's hand. The paramedic, supposedly done with her questioning and noticing that TK had calmed down enough not to put himself in danger, stepped away to give the brothers space. The young blonde took a breath before looking at the digimon that was huddled against Matt's chest.

"Hey, Pata'," he whispered.

Patamon perked up at being addressed. "TK…" he started uncertainly, giving a sniff. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "You heard her. They'll patch me up good as new."

"Yeah, don't you worry about a thing, Patamon. Just you wait and see," Matt added, though he spoke up for not only Patamon's benefit but for his brother's as well.

TK looked back up at him again. "Did we get a free throw for that foul?"

Matt managed a slight smirk. "If they didn't, I'm calling foul on the refs. Who hires those guys anyway?"

"Why?" TK said with a slight teasing tone. "You plan on becoming one, Matt?"

"I might," he defended. "Don't worry, though. Even if the referees don't foul him, Davis definitely made sure the guy would think twice before pulling something like that again."

"Oh no," TK groaned, but not in pain this time. "What did he do?"

"He just introduced Number 37 to his fist several, several times," Matt said, unable to keep a smile off of his face at that.

"The soccer coach is going to murder me if he ends up getting himself suspended just because I got a little bump on my head," TK said dryly, downplaying his injuries. It didn't work too well as a second later, another wave of pain was flashing across his face.

The paramedic was on the radio, calling ahead to the hospital as she relayed numbers and letters that were making no sense to Matt, but he wasn't paying any attention to her anyway. A part of him wished that Joe was here, though. He would have understood and been able to tell Matt what exactly was being said.

"He'll get over it. Everyone knows that Davis's friends come before any soccer game that he can't even play in for another month or so." Matt swallowed hard, trying to keep the mood light. "Besides, how many times can you say you've seen David take down Goliath firsthand?"

"Don't you mean Davis?" TK corrected in a quiet slur. "And I'm pretty sure the other guy's name was Shimizu, not Goliath."

"Semantics," Matt said, waving off the comment. "I'm pretty sure Davis is at least a foot and a half shorter than the other guy, so I say the analogy still works."

"In that case, we've seen David take down Goliath before… many times…" TK mumbled. "VenomMyotismon and MaloMyotismon… both were huge. We were all a bunch of little Davids by the end…"

Worry tugged at Matt's heart as he watched TK's eyelids start to droop again.

"Come on, Teeks. Keep talking to me," Matt encouraged.

"TK," Patamon whined quietly, his eyes wide as he watched his partner.

"…I'm sorry, Matt… Pata'… hurts and just… wanna sleep…" TK slurred. "Hurts… tired…"

"Teeks, hey, TK! Don't go back to sleep," Matt said more encouragingly. "Keep your eyes open; you gotta stay awake. Why don't you tell me about how you definitely do not have a crush on Kari and how we're all crazy and making unfair assumptions?"

He was attempting to push his brother's buttons, wanting him to react and stay awake. He would spend the rest of the ride arguing with his baby brother if that's what it took, but TK's eyes were still taking a slow drowsy decent down. He managed to pry them open again to slur something incoherent to his brother. TK's hand went slack in Matt's grip, and he saw his brother's eyes roll back and the lids close over them once again.

"TK! Open your eyes! Do you hear me?" Matt demanded, unable to keep the alarm out of his voice.

TK had seemed fine moments ago. Well, not _fine_. It was kind of impossible to see fine with a neck brace, strapped to a backboard, with a concussion at the very least not to mention a broken arm and several bruised if not broken ribs. Matt had been trying not to think about the worst of the injuries. He had unconsciously been leaving those worries up to Joe and the paramedics. But those injuries, the internal ones, the ones that could be present and Matt would never even know, would certainly cause his brother to slip unconscious once again. TK might not have been exactly fine moments ago, but he had at least been alert and talking to him, joking…

"TK," Patamon was still pleading with his partner, trying to keep his voice low even as the digimon was obviously close to breaking down. "TK, please wake up!"

"TK, c'mon," Matt pleaded, rubbing his hand a little more vigorously. He was the one close to hyperventilating as he tried to rouse his brother without any success. "Takeru! Please don't do this…"

The paramedic dropped the radio and moved over quickly, getting right to work. Matt stepped back half a step to get out of her way, but he refused to let go of his hand as if that alone would wake him back up.

Rumi shouted up to the front of the ambulance, "Motoki, what's our ETA?"

"Five minutes," the man in the front called back.

"Better make it two."


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. I own Hardison and Elliot!

**Author's Note**: The next chapter for _Coughing & Wheezing_ will be posted within the next few days. I have two brand new kittens named Hardison & Elliot who managed to delete a good portion of it, and I just couldn't seem to get it back.

From here on out, if you have any questions or you just want to discuss the story, you can look on the Digimon forums here under Digital Connections, and I have a topic up called "Blurring Boundaries: And so it begins..." in which you can discuss or talk directly to me! I'll also be answering questions in my reviews on there as well. So, check it out!

This chapter is probably one of my favorites. For one, we get three new points of view, including that of the two parents that I think were the most painted in the Adventure series. I am talking about Nancy and Hiroaki, of course. Matt and TK's parents really were given a life of their own. They have their flaws, their strengths, their jobs, their history... More than any of the other parents in the Adventure series. Also... Even better? To anyone who thought this was simply a Hurt & Comfort fic... Well, you might want to rethink that! This is when the real plot begins. So, I would love to start hearing any theories that you all have about what is going on. It would just make me all sorts of giddy!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Yolei gnawed on her lip nervously. Everything had happened so fast. One second, everyone was cheering and screaming in excitement; the next second, she was watching the doors of an ambulance shut with the unconscious Child of Hope inside. She did not know what to do as she stood there in the winter air. She had somehow managed to remember to grab her green trench coat during the chaos, but the cold seemed to still be seeping deep into her bones leaving her with an unsettling shiver. Something told her that she had a reason to be very, very worried.

"What now?" she asked in an uncharacteristic small voice.

"We head to the hospital," Tai said immediately.

Matt and TK's parents were already disappearing toward their cars, intent on keeping their promise to be right behind the ambulance. The lavender-haired girl allowed her eyes to trail after them, noting how they only walked a few steps in sync before splitting to their separate vehicles. Separate lives. But the same worry. For a girl who came from a close-knit large family, she found the separation almost eerie. She couldn't imagine driving to the hospital alone right at this moment.

"Some people can ride with me," Joe offered immediately, walking off toward his car.

"Me too," Izzy said, following his lead.

Yolei hesitated for a moment before gravitating after Mimi, who always managed to make her feel more confident and comfortable when in her presence. Right now, the Child of Sincerity's vibe seemed to be faded somewhat, but Yolei would take what she could. She realized a second after she reached Joe's car that Cody had moved to follow them as well. The younger boy's face was pale and his lips thinned and tight with worry. She raised a hand to offer him some sort of comfort before dropping it helplessly. She felt like anything she said would be a false attempt at optimism.

She didn't know if he was going to be okay, or if he would be awake when they got to the hospital, or anything really. So, how could she offer anything along those lines when she knew that it might not be true? Not to mention that Cody was such a smart kid, he would be able to see through her fakery without even trying. TK and Davis were more of the type to be able to pull off the optimistic routine, but Davis was across the parking lot trailing after Izzy and Ken. He was obviously trying to put off an air of not being worried, but Yolei caught the slight frown on his lips.

Ken paused toward the driver-side backdoor and glanced toward her, as if just realizing that they were no longer standing next to each other. Yolei gave what she hoped was a comforting smile and a wave before moving to get into the car.

Between Ken and Cody, she had to at least _try_ to pretend that she believed everything was going to be okay. And besides – sure, he looked pretty bad, but looks could be deceiving, right?

"Right," she muttered to herself.

"Did you say something, Yolei?" Joe asked from the driver seat.

Yolei scratched the back of her neck. "Oh, nothing! I was just reminding myself to finish my math homework tonight so I don't have to worry about it tomorrow, that's all!" she lied badly.

She quickly turned away to look out the window so that she didn't have to see their reaction, though she caught Cody's reflection in the glass watching her with an unreadable expression. She caught his green eyes for a moment before he went back to staring at his lap. Yolei let out a small sigh as her eyes lost focus and looked beyond the glass once more where she saw Kari moving to get into the car with Tai and Sora. Her best friend was still dressed in her dance uniform, which included a green and white shortened yukata with black leggings but lacked shoes as the girls danced barefoot.

"Kari forgot her shoes," she murmured to no one in particular.

And no one replied, too lost in their own thoughts.

x X x

People were waiting at the emergency entrance of the hospital as the ambulance pulled up and the doors were opened. The stretcher that TK was laying on was whisked out so quickly and the doctors and nurses that were driving the stretcher were conversing so rapidly with the paramedics that Matt found himself struggling to keep up on both accounts. He tried to keep hold of his brother's hand as they entered the hospital and sped through the hallways, but TK's limp fingers slipped from his own forcing the Child of Friendship to settle with just keeping his younger brother in eyesight.

Matt wished TK would open his eyes and start talking again. He looked paler than he had before. Another doctor joined the fray, blocking the blonde's view of his brother, and he growled in his throat. He sped up. He couldn't tell if his brother's breaths were still misting the mask over his face or not. Rumi was relaying to the doctors what had happened in the ambulance in terms that flew right over Matt's head, but he knew that nothing coming out of her mouth sounded good.

"Fifteen year old male, baskbetball injury. TBC. RBS. Hypotensive… BP 87 over 53. Possible EDH… POPTA…"

The letters and numbers leaving Rumi's mouth in an obvious urgent shout just continued to cause a deepening sense of dread in Matt's heart as he raced after.

"Trauma two," someone directed.

"What does that mean?" Matt finally exploded, needing someone to tell him something. "Is he going to be alright?"

No one answered him. They just wheeled TK into a room and started moving in some crazily choreographed dance. Someone shouted for the jersey to be removed so that they could see what they were working on and a second later, the basketball uniform top was being sliced away. Matt caught the sight of TK's number – _12_ – before one of the nurses grabbed it and tossed it into a bag.

x X x

"_What do you think, Matt?" _

_The blonde musician looked up from his guitar where he had been mindlessly plucking away to look at his little brother. The 15-year-old wore the brightest smile as he waited for his older brother to say something. He was holding a green and white basketball jersey up to his chest, and it was obviously the thing that he wanted Matt's opinion on. _

"_Looks good," Matt said, making a show of continuing to inspect the jersey. "Why Number 12?" _

_TK blinked. "There's 12 of us," he said with an easy smile. "Twelve digidestined. It made the most sense." _

"_Technically there's 24 of us if you count in the digimon," Matt teased, going back to lightly strumming at his guitar. _

"_Yeah, but then I would have to add in Gennai and his counterparts and all of the other digidestined around the world plus their partners and Leomon and all of the other digimon that helped us along the way," TK said, grinning a bit as he delicately rolled the jersey back up before dropping it into his bag. "I got lost somewhere around fifty." _

_Matt couldn't help but look up at his brother with a strange look. "You actually tried to count them all?" _

_The younger blonde grinned. "No." He paused. "I don't know… I just wanted the number to mean something." _

_He continued to watch his brother for a moment before speaking, "I think it's a good number, TK." _

"_Thanks, Matt."_

x X x

Matt made sure to stand back to give the doctors and nurses room to work, but he had to move every time his view of TK was blocked. He had to be able to see his little brother. He needed that visual to remind him that he was going to be okay. He wasn't even sure if Patamon was watching anymore. The little digimon was burrowing into his chest and trembling. Matt couldn't blame him; he wanted to hide from this and breakdown, too.

His heart was racing against the buzz of activity going on in front and around him. He wished someone would say something that he understood so that he could understand what was wrong. Or he wished, not for the first time, that Joe was standing here with him so that he could translate. But they just kept shouting in medical jargon, shouting things and sending people running from and around the room. Everyone was ignoring him like he was invisible.

Finally, some words started to make sense.

"Where are the parents?"

"On the way."

"Hako, we're going to need to intubate. Get me some O-neg and tell Radiology to be expecting us soon for a CT scan."

"Who's the kid?"

"Big brother."

"What's going on?" Matt asked again, his voice cracking.

He couldn't keep track of who was saying what; they were all talking too rapidly. Intubate? What did that mean? It was like they were talking in a foreign language, and it made him feel dizzy. Though, the dizziness might have been in part to the tube that the doctors had just shoved down TK's throat that was hooked to a ventilator. Matt swallowed hard and reached out to the closest wall to steady himself.

"Can we lose the Velcro?"

"I've got him," one of the nurses said, splitting away from the team taking care of TK. She gently took one of Matt's arms and started to lead him out of the room. "Come on. Let's go out to the waiting room and see if your parents are—"

"I'm not leaving him!" Matt protested immediately, trying to pull his arm away. "I told him I wouldn't leave him…"

For such a short woman, she had a very good grip on his arm. "You can't stay in here."

Matt ground his teeth, shaking his head in protest, as he called out desperately, "TK!"

The nurse was already leading him out of the room. The doors swung shut behind them and some muffled shout from the room had the nurse running back inside, abandoning Matt. Matt looked through the windows into the room, paralyzed and unable to breathe, until someone else was suddenly taking her place and started to lead him down the hall. They didn't say anything; they just patted his arm and led him out to a waiting room where his father sat. The nurse slipped back out.

Finally registering who he was seeing, Matt broke out of his paralysis and walked as if in a trance over to Hiroaki, and forgetting all of the walls he was supposed to keep up, fell into the closest plastic chair with a swallowed sob. Hiroaki moved closer to him and rubbed his son's back, trying to give him some comfort.

"Your mother's filling out paperwork or maybe she's arguing with the nurses. They wouldn't let us go back," he explained to the unasked question.

"…They were shouting all this stuff…" Matt mumbled as he managed to get some control over himself again and sat up a bit more. "…He… He woke up in the ambulance… Seemed fine one moment and then the next…" He felt so helplessly lost, and those emotions were written all over his face. Patamon was quietly sobbing against Matt's chest, and Matt mimicked his father's hand motions on his back on the little Digimon's back as well. "…I didn't want to leave him… But they made me… He has to be okay…"

"He'll be okay," Hiroaki echoed, holding back his own fears as he tried to be strong for his son. "He'll get through this. He's strong."

Matt wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more, his son or himself.

x X x

Three hours later, more worried and nervous faces filled the waiting room, including that of the patient's worried mother, Nancy Takaishi. She sat on the edge of her seat, blue eyes fixed on the door. Every nurse or doctor that walked by risked having Nancy pounce on him or her for some news on her baby. Hiroaki, who sat next to her, had long since learned that telling her to calm down was not a good idea. So, he simply kept both hands on his cup of coffee that had long since gone cold. In the three painfully slow hours that had passed since they had gotten here, they had not heard much of anything, except that they had taken TK to the operating room.

Nancy drew a deep breath that did nothing for her frayed nerves and surveyed the others in the waiting room. Mimi had her head in her best friend's lap while Sora absently stroked her hair. The pink-haired girl had fallen asleep not long ago. Nancy envied the girl for that; she knew she wouldn't be getting a moment's rest until she knew that TK was going to be okay. Ken and Davis sat together, both of them with silent, solemn looks on their faces, which was especially strange for the gogglehead. Their partners sat in the seat next to them, huddled together closely. Jun had left an hour ago after collecting the phone numbers of everyone else's family that was expecting them home so that she could call them and inform them of what was going on.

Izzy sat with Cody, halfway in his own world and halfway completely focused in on the younger boy who was very still and holding himself in a very closed position. Upamon was settled between them, making the boy seem even more alone. Yolei and Kari sat on another bench, holding each other's hands and staring toward the door with very similar looks of anxiousness that Nancy felt. Both had been crying earlier, Kari's tears lasting quite a bit longer than Yolei's, but both faces were dry now. Poromon sat snuggled up to Yolei's other side, staring up at his partner uncertainly. Gatomon and Patamon were curled up on the floor, though it was obvious that neither were sleeping.

Nancy's eyes landed on her oldest son and her gaze softened. When she had come into the waiting room, he had been on the brink of pulling his hair out and near tears as he tried to tell his father what had taken place in the ambulance. He looked so lost. He had been pacing earlier, making a pathway from one end of the waiting room to the other, until Joe and Tai had combined their efforts to get him to sit down. Now, he sat between the two other men, but he seemed unable to gather any comfort from either of them. She could see the wheels turning in his head, feelings of worry and guilt crossing his face every few seconds.

TK had done the same thing the year before when their situations had been reversed and Matt had wrecked his dad's car. She could remember how scared TK had looked as he sat in the waiting room, practically turning his bottom lip to mush, as they waited for some news. But they had not been kept waiting nearly as long… And Matt hadn't needed surgery.

Surgery.

Why wasn't anyone telling them anything?

Nancy could feel the old familiar tugs of over protectiveness for her baby boy as if he was four years old again and crying every night because he missed his big brother and his daddy. TK was somewhere in this hospital with a bunch of strangers, and she had no idea if he was conscious, alone, hurting, confused. He had not a single familiar face near him, and the thought made her feel ill. Nancy dropped her head into her hands, and she felt Hiroaki's hesitant hand come to rest on her back in a comforting gesture.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He simply nodded solemnly in response.

"Ms Takaishi, Mr Ishida?" a male voice asked from the doorway.

Nancy's eyes shot open as she leapt to her feet. Next to her, Hiroaki rose to his feet as well. The man standing there seemed too young to be a doctor, but he held a knowledgeable air about him that made the woman realize that doubting his ability would be mute and insulting.

"I'm Doctor Kinjo. Your son is out of surgery and in Recovery right now," the young man informed them in a calm voice that was nearly enough to make the mother of two snap. She couldn't understand how anyone could be calm about this. "We've got him on a ventilator, and we're monitoring his vitals. I'm sorry you were kept waiting so long. I'd like to go over everything with you."

"Is he going to be okay?" Matt asked before anyone else could utter a sound.

Dr Kinjo shot a look from Matt back to Nancy and Hiroaki. Out of the corner of her eye, Nancy caught Hiroaki giving a nod, and she realized belatedly that the doctor had been asking nonverbally for permission to continue in front of their other son and non-family members that were present and most definitely listening in.

"He should come out of this alright," he finally answered, "but he's not out of danger yet."

"What's wrong with him?" Nancy demanded. "Why did he need surgery?"

"Why don't you have a seat again?" the doctor suggested, gesturing to the vacated bench. He pulled a chair over and sat in front of them. His clipboard rested in his lap. Though spread throughout the waiting room before, everyone had shifted closer to the doctor and the parents to hear better including Mimi who had been roused from her nap. "We'll start with the less serious and work our way up from there. Your son has multiple fractures due to blunt force impact, including to his right clavicle and humerus, deep bruising of the left hip, four cracked ribs on his right side." He was reading off of his clipboard. "He suffered a grade three concussion…" The man hesitated for a moment, causing Nancy's hear to skip a beat in the uncomfortable silence. "There was a concern about a skull fracture or a possible neck or spinal cord injury as well, but the CT didn't show anything along those lines. However, it could have been missed, so we're not ruling it out completely. The biggest concern, and the reason for the immediate surgery, was an epidural hemotoma—"

Every word was like a dagger digging deeper into Nancy, and she was glad that she had taken the offer to sit without any argument.

_That's it,_ she though shakily. _He's never playing sports again._

At some point during the explanation, her hand had found Hiroaki's, and now she was squeezing it in a death grip. For his part, Hiroaki was not reacting at all to his fingers being crushed. He was simply staring at the doctor with a stony expression.

"Excuse me," she interrupted tersely. "A what?" The only person who seemed to be understanding every word coming out of the doctor's mouth with absolute certainty was Joe, who was a doctor-in-training himself and had pretty much been raised in the profession, but Nancy knew next to nothing about medicine. However, she knew that the way that the blue-haired man went suddenly pale spelled out nothing good. "Can you please speak in a language I can understand? Not everyone here has had medical training!" The words came out harsher than she intended, but she found that she did not have the energy to care.

Dr Kinjo took a deep breath. "There was a buildup of blood between the brain and the skull because of the trauma. It's a potentially deadly condition because of the possibility of increased pressure in the brain, but we caught it in time to do something about it, though there's still the possibility of possible brain damage due to the trauma. We had to call in a neurosurgeon…"

Nancy stopped hearing the words after that. _My baby… My poor baby… _She couldn't stop the sob that rose in her throat, and when Hiroaki put an arm around her in a comforting gesture, she allowed herself to lean against him. The doctor was still talking and explaining what had been done about it.

"When can we see him?"

Nancy realized that the doctor must have stopped talking, because it was Hiroaki who finally asked the pressing question. None of the others in the room, not even Matt, had dared to utter another word as the doctor continued to talk to the two parents. She wasn't even sure if she had the strength to look at any of them right now. She could just imagine Matt's face, pained and full of despair but totally closed off from her. It was almost too much for her to take.

"Once a bed is ready in the ICU, he'll be admitted and moved up there to be kept for observation. Visiting hours are over, but I'm sure an exception can be made for you to be able to see him for a few moments, but only two of you. I'll have a nurse come in shortly and show you all to the ICU waiting room upstairs."

x X x

Nearly an hour had passed before a nurse came into the ICU waiting room to tell the occupants that TK had been settled into his new room and that only two people could go in for just a few minutes tonight to see him. She reminded them that visiting hours were technically over, but that they could spend more time with him tomorrow.

Hiroaki ran a hand through his hair and over his weary face as he offered a hand to his ex-wife to help her to her feet. It was almost midnight, but none of the digidestined had left. Matt had managed to escape Joe and Tai as he had returned back to pacing, wearing a hole through the floor as he moved back and forth across the waiting room. He looked crestfallen at the news that only two people could go back. Hiroaki looked at his oldest son and opened his mouth to offer that Matt go in his place, but Matt stopped him.

"No, Dad, you go… I… I can wait," he said quietly, sinking into a seat next to Tai, looking exhausted. His best friend put an arm around the blonde, offering him a bit of silent comfort, as he looked up at his parents with a forlorn expression. "Just tell him to get better… and that I'm sorry, and I'll see him tomorrow…" Matt attempted to keep his tone light, but the obvious waver in his voice was a sign that he was just trying to stay strong. Smiling softly, Hiroaki walked over to Matt and pulled his son into a hug. Matt returned it with a weak effort, though he managed to hold on tight enough so that he could whisper, "Take Patamon with you, Dad… And just let him stay. I think… It might help them both, okay?"

Hiroaki gave a small nod against his son's shoulder before letting go. Matt lowered his eyes and sunk back into the seat. The older man watched his oldest for a second longer before moving over to the little orange digimon that had not moved from his spot on the floor. He kneeled in front of him and gently ran a finger over Patamon's spine. Obviously, Patamon had not heard Matt's whispered plea, as when he looked up at his partner's father, it was with a bit of confusion.

"Do you want to go back to be with TK?" he asked quietly.

"Can I?" he whispered.

The older man gave a soft smile as he reached out and picked him up. The nurse gave him an odd look that he ignored in favor of saying, "Would it be alright if I left this at TK's bedside? You know… so he's not alone?"

The nurse gave the _stuffed animal_ in his arms a strange look, obviously thinking that a 15-year-old is a little old for such toys, but she smartly kept her mouth shut. Instead, she gave a small nod. As he followed her out of the waiting room, Hiroaki could hear Sora moving to speak with Matt. He agreed with the redhead's words. He knew it had to be hard for Matt to give up an opportunity to see TK.

The two brothers weren't exactly inseparable, but they were the next best thing. Hiroaki was appreciative every day that his boys were so close, because he remembered a time when they hardly even got to see each other. He really shouldn't be surprised. Before the divorce, Matt had adored his little baby brother. He had never been the type of brother to get annoyed to have a little tagalong, and he used to cry just as much as TK when he had to go to school without his best friend. But that had all changed when they were separated in the divorce.

The nurse pressed a button on the wall and a pair of double doors with _Intensive Care_ emblazoned across them opened automatically for the three of them to walk through. Nancy's eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, but she walked tall and alone, solitary in her grief. Hiroaki wanted to reach out and offer his support to her, but he knew that would be crossing boundaries that had been setup nearly eleven years ago.

Hiroaki still felt guilt when he thought of that time. He thought Matt would never forgive him again that first year. His oldest went from a kind boy who was far more generous than anyone else his age to someone who acted far too old and too cold for someone so young. Even with the guilt, the older man knew that he and Nancy had done the right thing. Even if every time he looked at his ex-wife and he felt that familiar tug that just could not help remind him why he had fallen in love with her in the first place, he knew their divorce had been necessary.

Those times brought back bittersweet memories for him. He had vivid memories of a happy family and days where he used to think that nothing could ever get better than this, but he wasn't blind to how bad things had been those last two years. So much arguing, so many nights he spent on the sofa or just working late. Neither of them had wanted to admit how unhappy they were first, not after so many happy years. But one day, the stress caused Nancy to snap unnecessarily at TK for claiming that he had seen monsters outside his window (now, years later, Hiroaki realized he had probably been telling the truth), and she had finally made the first move.

He used to spend nights worrying how their arguing and subsequent separation had affected the boys. He would watch Matt while he slept and realize that he couldn't remember the last time the young boy had mentioned having a friend, and then he would think of TK, the son that he barely even knew and who barely even knew him as well. He often found himself wondering if maybe they had made a mistake after all, if only for the boys' sake.

And then one day that didn't seem so special compared to the rest, everything changed. Matt opened up. TK found his footing. And both of them managed to save two worlds with the help of other very special children. Hiroaki could not have been more proud. Nancy had not been a fan, of course, and he couldn't say he blamed her. The thought of an eight-year-old being involved in something so dangerous sent a shiver down his spine, and the fact that it was his own son made it so much worse. But somehow he knew that nothing they did would have been able to stop them. And when TK had been called once more to protect the worlds again…

Well, he couldn't exactly say he was surprised.

The nurse stopped, gesturing to a room that had _Takaishi, Takeru_ written neatly on a slip of paper outside the door. "I'll give you a few minutes, but then I'm going to have to ask you to leave for the night."

Nancy immediately looked like she wanted to argue, but Hiroaki put a hand on her arm and shook his head. Hospital policy was already being bent for them; they would be grateful for the time that they got. Hiroaki steeled himself, readying himself for what was waiting for them beyond the door, and stepped inside.

Working for the TV station, he had seen a lot of terrible things during his career. Some of it was simply fictional, while a good disturbing amount of it was unfortunately real. But nothing could ever prepare _anyone_ for seeing their own child in the Intensive Care Unit. Hiroaki closed his eyes against the unwanted tears that suddenly appeared at the image before him of his youngest son. Against his chest, nearly forgotten, he felt Patamon give a shudder. He walked further into the room after he had collected himself. He found an empty spot on his son's pillow where he set the little digimon down.

"There you go," he whispered.

"TK…" Patamon bemoaned, obviously unable to think to say anything else. He shifted closer to his partner, as close as he could get without actually touching him, obviously afraid among the wraps and bandages of hurting him further.

Hiroaki pulled a chair to TK's bedside, but he did not sit in it. He looked at Nancy's white face, half afraid she was about to pass out, and gestured for her to take it instead. Whether she noticed the gesture or not, he could not be sure, but a second later, with shaky legs, she was sinking heavily into the seat.

A bandage wound around TK's head, the cervical collar remained around his neck as a precaution, and the tube down TK's throat was attached to a ventilator to keep his breathing slow and regular. His right arm was in a cast and in a brace to keep movement minimal in his sleep. Nancy reached out a second later to take TK's hand into her own, careful of the IV tubes attached to it, providing fluids and probably sedatives as well.

The soft steady _beep_ of the heart monitor drew Hiroaki's eyes to it, and he watched the line of TK's pulse pass along the screen. He grabbed onto the back of Nancy's chair to keep himself standing and looked at TK's face. If not for the surroundings, the bandages, the tubes and machines attached to him, his little boy could be sleeping. He looked so small and frail lying there, and Hiroaki felt his jaw tighten as tears threatened once again.

"Hey, TK," Nancy whispered gently, rubbing his hand between hers. "We were so worried." Hiroaki heard her voice break, and he looked down at his ex-wife to see her tearing up again. "…But you're going to be okay. You're going to bounce back from this… You have to bounce back from this… And, and Matt says that he's sorry that he couldn't come back, too. He's so worried about you… We all are… Your friends, us, Patamon… We just want you to get better, okay?"

Hiroaki wanted to say something as Nancy lapsed into silence unable to continue, but he couldn't seem to be able to find his voice to form any words at all. Together, the parents of two simply watched the mechanically rhythmic rising and falling of TK's chest.

"Excuse me?" the nurse's voice said gently from the door. Their five minutes were up, and the nurse was waiting to escort them back out of the ICU.

Nancy stood slowly and leaned over TK, kissing his cheek gently and running her hand over his face. "We'll come back to see you in the morning, TK," she promised, her voice breaking once more.

Hiroaki walked over to the bed and grabbed his son's hand for a moment, just a reminder that it was still warm and there. He looked up at Patamon, who was remaining perfectly still for the nurse, and reached out to gently run his fingers over the little digimon's back.

"Watch over him," he asked.

Patamon gave a tiny watery nod.

Hiroaki adjusted the blankets over TK's form, smoothing them out, and then followed Nancy out.

"Sweet dreams," Nancy said tearfully. "We love you."

x X x

"Mom?"

TK slowly opened his eyes and blinked in confusion. He had expected to wake up in as much pain as he had while in the ambulance. Actually, he'd expected to wake up either in the ambulance or in the hospital with his family and friends standing worriedly over him. Not… wherever he was now. The light-haired teen's blue eyes narrowed as he frowned and slowly propped himself up on one elbow. He had no idea where "here" was or how he had gotten here. He felt a flash of panic as he thought that he might be dead, but he didn't _feel_ dead. He wasn't sure whether he should be relieved by that thought or frightened. There wasn't anyone around at all.

He had awoken under a beautifully lush cherry blossom tree and lying on top of the fluffiest, greenest grass he could remember ever seeing. Following the hilly landscape, more sakura trees were scattered around, sprinkling little pink flowers across the ground. A strange, soft light permeated everything in an unearthly glow. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Carefully, still half expecting for the pain to return, TK pulled himself up into a full sitting position as he surveyed the area around him.

He was sitting on a low hill, giving him a perfect view of the trees, flowers, and stone walkways that wound around the area. Further off, he could see what appeared to be a pond with a scattering of fallen flowers covers its surface. But as far as he could see, not a single soul seemed to be in sight. A light breeze jostled his hair and brought the fresh scent of the earthy area to him.

TK felt… content.

"Hello?" he called out softly.

Although there wasn't any sign of anyone being around, TK had the strangest feeling that he wasn't alone. It wasn't a terrible feeling, but despite the feeling of contentment, the Child of Hope decided that he didn't like this one bit. He should be at the hospital; his brother and parents should be here. He should even be in pain as much as he didn't want to be. But this wasn't right.

_Maybe it's a dream_, he thought hopefully.

Did one dream while they were unconscious? He wasn't sure, but he knew that he wasn't going to find out anything just sitting here.

TK climbed to his feet and glanced down at his clothes. His eyebrows raised in confusion. The last thing he remembered, he had been wearing his basketball uniform. Now, he was sporting a pair of khaki shorts, green and black tennis shoes, a green hooded t-shirt with yellow sleeves and a yellow stripe across the chest, with a long-sleeve black turtleneck underneath. It was all clothes that he owned and recognized, but where had they come from? The clothes he had been wearing before the game and had been waiting in his gym locker had been his school uniform.

_What is going on?_ he wondered, walking down the hill and towards the winding path. He had to start somewhere.

"Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought," he mumbled to himself.

He realized at that moment how quiet it all seemed. With a place so alive with color and greenery, he felt like he should be hearing birds chirping or insects buzzing around somewhere. He half expected to see a digimon poke his or her head out of a hiding spot somewhere. As the path led further down the hill, the tree growth got thicker, eventually turning into a forest of shaded oaks and maples, obscuring TK's line of sight. If this was a dream, it sure was strange and a little uneventful.

"Hello?" he tried again. "Anyone there?"

_Dreaming_, TK thought. _I must be dreaming. Or I'm dead_. He cringed at the addition that his mind accidentally tacked on. He pinched his arm hard.

"OW!" Wincing, TK rubbed at the spot he had pinched and rolled up his sleeve to survey the red mark that he had most definitely left behind. "Okay… You're not supposed to feel pain in your dreams… or when you're dead…"

He wished he felt more relief at that realization, but he wasn't even sure what he was supposed to do with that information. So, he just continued walking, following the stone path. Something was tugging at the back of his mind about this place. It seemed familiar to him in a strange way, as if there were little bits here and there that looked familiar but other parts that just seemed wrong. He almost wanted to try to redraw the picture himself to fit it into the familiar scene that his mind was attaching it to, but he couldn't even figure out what it could be.

Had he been here before?

"…Matt?" he called out with growing trepidation. "Mom? Patamon? Kari?" Insecurities and awful scenarios started to play through his head, and TK's arms moved to wrap around his frame in a somewhat frightened fashion. He gave a shake of his head a second later and forced his arms back down to his sides. "Pull yourself together, TK," he whispered harshly to himself. "Whatever is going on, you'll figure it out…"

With that said, he started down one of the winding paths through the trees.


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. The show would never get finished if I did!

**Author's Note**: So sorry for making everyone wait for updates in C&W. You'll have to wait a little bit longer, I'm afraid. Just lack of motivation has hit me, but I do wish to see it completed soon! I won't say how soon as I'll end up contradicting myself, but _soooon_.

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Being given the chance to show that the digidestined are just normal teenagers most of the time just made me smile. Yes, they have friends outside of this circle, and yes, they do have normal teenage desires and wants. And so I found being able to talk about this a bit just made me smile. I also got to play around with a few little things in this chapter, and I've dropped some big hints as to where the story is going in here, so feel free to scrutinize!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

It was an hour and a half past midnight when Ken finally arrived at the Motomiya apartment and walked in behind Davis into the relatively silent home. No one had said anything the entire ride from the hospital. He and Davis had managed to catch a ride with Izzy after the burgundy-haired boy had managed to convince him to just stay at his place. Maybe Davis just thought that it was the most logical course of action since they would all be headed to the same place in the morning or perhaps he just didn't want to be alone. Ken knew that he didn't, even if he was hesitant to say it aloud. He wondered if maybe Davis had picked up on that; his best friend did things like that all the time.

The others had split up between Joe and Tai's vehicle after reluctantly saying goodnight to Matt and his parents. They had all asked at least a dozen times if there was anything they could do, but Nancy had finally said that if they changed their minds, Matt would call, but really they just wanted to go home and sleep, which she emphasized was what everyone else should do too.

From the look on Matt's face, Ken highly doubted he would be sleeping. But to be honest, the former boy genius didn't feel much like sleeping either. He was exhausted, but he couldn't get the image of TK's crumpled form on the basketball court out of his head. The rush to the hospital, the hushed whispers, and then the doctors coming in to speak in words that went over his head… It was all too familiar to him. He kept having flashes of his own parents in Nancy and Hiroaki's positions, except they were sobbing right out as the doctor finished, because his explanation ended with, "_There is nothing we can do_."

Mr and Mrs Motomiya were waiting in the kitchen as the two boys trudged tiredly through the apartment, but Davis gave no indication that he even noticed them and they did not call him back. Ken took a moment to bow to both of them in greeting before he hurried after Davis with Minomon in his hands. As he entered Davis's bedroom, he saw that DemiVeemon was already asleep and placed on the bed. A sleeping bag was already sitting at the ready by the dresser.

Ken had managed to convince his parents to let him go to high school in Odaiba at the end of the school year last year even though he knew they had secretly hoped he would go to one of the many private schools that were practically begging for his attendance. Even though he had long since lost his genius status, the rumors about his smarts still hung around. But he had wanted to go to school with his friends, and when he had mentioned this, his mother had gotten teary eyed and they had both agreed. The ride from school to home was nearly an hour long, though, and once Davis had realized that Ken would be making that trip nearly every day, he had decided that the ebony-haired boy needed somewhere to crash on nights when soccer practice ran a little long.

Those nights, when Ken knew that he should probably be doing homework, the two DNA digivolving partners often found themselves playing cards and laughing way too late into the night. Davis let out a tired sigh as he reached around Ken and nudged the bedroom door closed and flipped on the light. There would be no card games or laughing tonight.

Ken gently set Minomon down next to DemiVeemon. He saw his partner look up at him with wide beady eyes; his partner knew that Ken was worried and dwelling on events of the past. The Child of Kindness managed a smile in an attempt to reassure him, but Minomon did not seem convinced. It would have to do for now. He moved over to the sleeping bag and started to set it up.

Davis had moved over to the desk where the dulled red light of the answering machine was blinking surreptitiously and mashed the button. It was one of the battles that the burgundy-haired soccer player had won with his parents. Ken knew that originally Davis had wanted a cell phone; Jun had one, so why not? His parents, smartly knowing how easily Davis tended to lose stuff, refused. Eventually, the compromise came to add in his own phone line for his room as long as he took care not to go over the normal monthly charges.

"You have five new messages and two old messages," the mechanical voice chimed.

"New message. Friday, November 17. 4:42 PM. _Hey, Davis; it's Mizuto. Can we get together soon to work on our history presentation? It's due next week… I know the basketball game is tonight, so don't worry. But maybe tomorrow? Call me back."_

Ken saw Davis hit the delete button, and he knew why. Some history presentation was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"New message. Friday, November 17. 9:15 PM. _Davis… um… hey, it's Emino. I was just calling to see if you heard anything about TK? Is he okay? Have you talked to Kari? How is she holding up? Do you know if there's anything I can do? Um… just call me, okay? I hope he's okay… Saori is worried sick. She couldn't even dial her phone to get a hold of Kari, which is probably a good thing with how she is right now… Um… Call me… I'm going to check on her, okay? …Will you call me?"_

"New message. Friday, November 17. 9:59 PM. _Hey, it's Masato. Just trying to find out how TK is. A bunch of us are at Kira's. We're all hanging out by the phone, hoping someone will call and let us know what's going on. We'll be here all night. Tell TK that we won. We decimated the court with those lousy cheaters; they never stood a chance. We don't exactly feel like celebrating, though. We just want to know that TK's okay. Call us, alright?"_

"New message. Friday, November 17. 10:26 PM. _Davis, it's Ataru. I just heard… Saori just called me hysterical and Emino was in the background trying to calm her down. Did she call you? Or Kari? I hope Emino made her take a chill pill before she got either of you on the phone… I would've been at the game myself, but you know me. Anti-basketball. Soccer all the way. …Man, I'm sorry. How is he? …You probably don't feel like talking about it. Right. If you want to kick a couple of soccer balls at someone, let me know. Ken's welcome to come too. The entire soccer team wants to help you guys in any way that we can. We might hate Shinji and his little gang of basketball dorks, but TK's one of the cool ones. He didn't deserve that."_

"New message. Friday, November 17. 10:38. _Look, don't even worry about the history presentation. I'll take care of it. You just help TK get better. You two can make it up to me later by convincing Ken to do my math homework for me or something. We'll figure something out. But seriously? Just don't even worry about it. I hope TK's okay._"

"Old messages. Thursday, November—"

Davis hit the stop button and flopped face first onto his pillows on the bed. Ken watched him silently for a moment as the other boy took in a shaky breath.

"Davis?" he ventured quietly.

"Hm?" was the muffled reply.

"Do you want me to call people back for you?" he offered.

Ken knew that it was late, but he knew that more than likely the basketball team was still awake. Ataru, even if he was asleep, wouldn't mind getting a call, no matter the time of day. Even so, he cringed after the offer left his mouth. He knew that anyone who actually picked up would either be sympathetic or trying to cheer them up. This didn't feel like a good situation to be cheered up for.

"Don't worry about it," Davis said, turning his face toward Ken.

The ebony-haired boy gave a silent nod in response as he moved to change into some night clothes before he settled into the sleeping bag. He laid back, staring up at the ceiling above him. He could see a stain almost directly above him from where Davis had decided to drop a Mentos candy into a bottle of diet soda after hearing about the soda geyser from TK. He remembered TK dropping his head into his hand and bemoaning, "I'm going to regret opening my mouth, aren't I?" just moments before all three of them, including their digimon, ended up completely drenched in soda.

"We should do the candy and soda experiment thing again," Davis mumbled, obviously having been staring at the same spot on the ceiling as Ken.

"Yeah…" he agreed listlessly. What else was he to say?

"We'll do it after TC gets out of the hospital," he declared certainly.

Ken let out a small sigh. It was going to be a long night.

x X x

Large, leafy trees continued to cover the path that TK walked along. The sakura trees had eventually disappeared from the path save for a scattering of blossoms that had obviously been carried by the wind. The silence had been so unnerving that when the first group of songbirds had burst from a bush to swoop through the air, cheerfully singing, TK had leapt a foot in the air and ducked behind a tree before his brain caught up with his actions. He swallowed hard and lifted a hand to his chest, trying to calm down the rapid beating of his heart as he peered out from behind the trees to look up at where the birds had aligned on a branch. Just birds. Not digimon or any other sort of monster. But they were the first living thing TK had seen yet.

No shadows were present thanks to the strange omnipresent light that reached through even the canopies of the trees that lined the path he was on. Wildflowers poked through from the grass in sparkling shades of yellow, blue, red, and purple, and the ever present cherry blossoms seemed to be littered everywhere in splashes of pink. So many things here didn't make any sense at all. But at the very least, TK decided that if he was dreaming, it was the most realistic dream he had ever been in. He could feel the wind, smell the grass and flowers, and even feel himself growing hungry. That didn't seem like typical dream behavior.

But he wasn't ruling the idea out entirely. It was better than allowing his mind to continually move back to the very real option that he might be dead. He highly doubted he had somehow slipped into the Digital World, even though he knew it was possible even without his digivice on him (he had checked). After all, changing worlds didn't suddenly make one's injuries go away, and he was definitely certain that the place he had been before here had been in the ambulance with Matt and Patamon.

TK frowned, thinking of Patamon and Matt with worry. Where were they? What were they doing right now?

"Hello?" TK called out again, turning quickly to look behind him.

Ever since arriving here, wherever here was, the feeling of being watched had been getting steadily worse. He had the strangest feeling that he wasn't supposed to be aware of the watching eyes that kept making the hairs on the back of his neck stick up, like he was breaking some sort of fourth wall by being this aware. For the hundredth time, he wondered where he was and how he had gotten here. This place wasn't like anything he could ever remember seeing in the Digital World before, and yet, he couldn't help but feel like it was all sort of familiar anyway.

TK took another uncertain step forward as he ran a nervous hand through his unruly blonde hair. "Is anyone here?"

This time, unlike every other time he had asked before, silence was not his only answer. Distant, rhythmic words like a melody reached his ears being carried on the unseen breeze. Feeling a sudden sense of purpose and direction, TK took off in a quiet run, making sure to keep his footfalls light as he tried to find the source of the song. It was definitely singing, TK realized as he got closer, and if he had to guess, it was the voice of a child. Boyish giggling cut through the words between each pause, and TK continued to follow the sounds of play that were breaking through the haunting stillness of the scenery.

If there was someone else here, even a child, maybe… maybe he could get some answers…

"_Rising, rising is the moon,  
>Large and round; large and round; round, round one,<br>Plate-like full moon will rise soon._"

The words were starting to make sense as TK got closer, and he slowed his trot down to an unsteady, silent walk as he continued a bit more cautiously. Even if the voice was childish, the Digital World had taught TK long ago that not everything was as it first appeared. Nothing was telling him whether this voice belonged to friend or foe, and he had managed to convince himself that he wasn't simply dreaming. He would have woken up by now, and he probably wouldn't have been as aware of the fact that he may or may not be dreaming if he were.

"_Hiding, hiding is the moon,  
>Behind the clouds; dark clouds; black, black clouds,<br>Plate-like full moon will hide soon._"

The music was drawing closer, and he continued forward. Even if the voice could belong to anyone, whether it was friend or foe, another presence meant possibly answers waiting for him.

TK stopped behind a large oak that gave way into a small clearing with a beautifully sunny looking pond in the center of it. The water's surface was sprinkled with small cherry blossoms and lily pads, and ivy hung low from the canopies of the trees. Bouncing from lily pad to lily pad was a small little creature, who paid TK no mind at all as he continued to move around, lost in whatever game he appeared to be playing.

"_Appearing, reappearing is the moon,  
>Large and round; large and round; round, round one,<br>Plate-like full moon will rise soon._"

The Child of Hope's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he took sight of the small creature, and he found himself holding his breath, afraid that he would disrupt whatever it was that it was doing. His previous decision that he wasn't dreaming yet again changed. The creature in front of him looked a lot like a digimon, but TK had never seen anything quite like him before in his life.

The little creature was no bigger than a Tokomon and was more head than body. He was shaped like two snowballs sitting on top of one another with little nubs for hands and feet poking out from the bottom snowball. Two large ears sprouted from his head like fans. The tips were purple as were the ends of his feet, leaving the rest of his body perfectly white save for a red triangle on his forehead. The little creature landed on the furthest lily pad and suddenly turned to stare right at TK, as though sensing there was someone watching him, revealing his jade green eyes. The little digimon-lookalike brought a claw up to his chin thoughtfully as he regarded the blonde for a moment, and TK found himself unable to utter a sound.

Then, as if making a decision, the creature burst into a large grin and suddenly declared, "You can't catch me!" before he was taking off running away from the Child of Hope.

TK continued to stare agape at the spot the creature had vacated for several moments before he finally managed to come to his senses. "Hey, wait!" he shouted, tearing off after him. He had finally found someone here, whether it be digimon or some other type of creature, and he could possibly have some answers; he wasn't going to just let him out of his sight.

_x X x_

"You woke up early," Fumiko Hida said gently from the table as Cody shuffled into the kitchen.

The 13-year-old looked up from the tile flooring, feeling exhausted and heavy with worry. He knew that it must have shown all over his face, too.

"I believe that in order to _wake up early_, one must have actually went to sleep at some point," Chikara, Cody's grandfather, said wisely from his place across from his daughter-in-law.

Cody felt his face heat up, and he lowered his gaze, feeling somewhat ashamed. "I'm sorry, Grandpa," he said quietly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I just couldn't stop thinking about TK."

"There is no reason to be sorry, Cody," Chikara said, watching his grandson as he sat down the packet of liquid yogurt he had been enjoying before they were joined by the youngest person in the Hida family. "You are worried about your friend. That is an admirable quality, not something you should feel like you need to hide."

For a long moment, the brunette was quiet before he finally lifted his watery green eyes. "I just…" he started before stopping himself. "I just wish there was something I could do," he settled with finally. It wasn't really what he wanted to say. So many worries and strange feelings were pervading his thoughts, and so much more wanted to come out of his mouth. Those words, though, as off base as they were to what he wanted to actually say were still true.

"Oh, Cody…" Fumiko soothed as she moved to stand and walked over to him. Gently, she draped an arm across his shoulders. "Why don't you sit down and have some breakfast? It might take your mind off of things—"

She was already starting to lead him to the table when Chikara stood.

"No, Fumiko," he said, surveying his grandson. "Right now, he needs to be with his friends. Why don't you let him go ahead and catch up with Yolei? They were supposed to walk together to the hospital today."

Cody's mother froze as she stared at her father-in-law, at a loss of words for a moment. Her arm dropped from her son's shoulders, and she seemed not to know what to say. Finally, she stuttered out, "But… but what about breakfast?"

All Cody could think about was how much he wanted his mother to agree with his grandfather. So, hoping to appease her, he looked up at his mother. "Yolei and I will probably stop by her family's convenience store. I'll pick something up there," he promised.

She hesitated for a moment more before giving a small hesitant nod. "Well, alright…"

Cody was already dashing back toward his room before she finished her thought. He came to a skidding stop as the door shut behind him, and he stared at his digimon who was staring up at him with confused eyes from his spot on his bed. For a moment, the holder of the Digi-eggs of Knowledge and Reliability didn't know what to say and simply stared at his partner.

"Cody…?" Upamon ventured uncertainly.

"Upamon," Cody said quietly, walking up to the bed and sitting down on the edge. "I'm heading back to the hospital, but you don't have to go. If you'd rather, I can send you to the Digital World to stay with Agumon and the others until all of this—"

"No way!" the digimon suddenly cried, startling Cody. The quiet boy turned toward his digimon and was surprised to find that he actually looked rather furious at the suggestion. The usually laidback digimon was glaring at his partner and almost shaking with emotion. "I want to make sure Patamon's alright just as much as you want to make sure TK's alright. And besides – Patamon and I used to DNA Digivolve, which makes TK kind of like a second partner to me! I have to make sure he's alright. What kind of partner would I be if I didn't?"

Cody felt unwilling tears starting to gather in his eyes, and he brought the back of his hand up to wipe them away. "Upamon…"

The digimon adopted a gentler facial expression. "I know you don't want me to be bored or feel like I have to go, but I don't. I _want_ to go. They're my friends, too. I'm just as worried as you are."

The young boy gave an understanding nod. "I know, Upamon. I'm sorry for making you upset."

"It's okay, Cody. I know you didn't mean it," Upamon said brightly. "So, are we leaving now?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah."

He gathered the digimon into his arms, threw his backpack over his shoulder, and started to head out of the room. He didn't feel like hiding the little guy today; it just didn't seem as important after how many people saw the digidestined carrying around their partners as stuffed animals yesterday. He called into the apartment once more, "I'm leaving!" before he was jogging off toward the elevator and heading to Yolei's floor. As the elevator moved, he found himself staring at the number to TK's floor. TK wouldn't be there today, though. No, he was at the hospital.

_But he's going to be okay_, Cody reminded himself firmly.

The young boy knocked on the Inoue apartment door and was greeted by Momoe who adopted a bright smile upon seeing him.

"Oh, hey, Cody. Yolei told me you would be stopping by. _YOLEI!_" The last part was a yell back into the apartment that made both the kendo student and his partner wince. Another muffled yell was her response, and Momoe simply smiled in response. "She's coming. Do you want to come inside and wait?"

Cody shook his head. "I'll just wait out here," he said politely.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said before heading back inside, the door falling shut behind her.

The green-eyed boy found a spot on a wall next to the door and leaned against it tiredly. Usually, he would have taken the offer to head inside and converse politely with Momoe and Chizuru while he waited for Yolei, but today was different. Everything felt different and off. Something was just wrong, and he couldn't put his finger on it. He knew, of course, that TK was in the hospital, but that didn't change everything, did it?

_No_, Cody surmised, _it's more than that. But what?_

The Inoue door clicked open, cutting off his train of thought. Yolei stepped out, looking a little less put together than usual with only a simple ribbon pulling her hair back and a t-shirt and jeans completing her ensemble. Poromon was in her arms; she must have decided that hiding him wasn't worth the effort too. Ever since she and Ken had started dating, the older girl was often seen trying to look her best every time she knew she would be around him. But today, as Cody had already figured out, was different.

"Hey, Cody," she said quietly. "My mom threatened to ground me for a month if I didn't stop by the store and stock up on food for everybody. I hope you don't mind?"

He shook his head. "Not at all."

She nodded, and the two friends headed out in silence. Neither said anything the entire walk to the convenience store, and even when Yolei's father greeted them brightly as they walked inside, all they did was nod in response. Yolei grabbed a basket and walked around the isles, pulling down random items. Cody half expected that she wasn't really paying attention to what she was grabbing either, and when she absently reached for a can of bug spray, he knew that he was right.

"Yolei," he said, catching her attention, before nodding toward the can in the basket.

"Oh," she said, before giving herself a little shake. "I guess I'm not really thinking straight at the moment." She started to carefully go through the basket and pulled out several items that obviously shouldn't have been in there. "Do you want something to eat?" she asked as she went back to choosing more food to take with them.

"I'm not really hungry," he admitted.

Yolei's arm froze halfway to grabbing a bag of chips before she gave a small sigh. "Neither am I."

Remembering his promise to his mother, though, he grabbed two muffins and gave one to Upamon before biting into one himself. It tasted like sandpaper in his mouth, and he knew it wasn't the flavoring that was the problem. He ignored it, though, and finished it quickly. Wasting food wouldn't help anyone.

"Ready to go?" Yolei's voice called to him as he threw away the wrapper for both his and Upamon's muffins. The food that Yolei had gathered was in two grocery bags. Cody nodded, and they headed out.

Poromon looked between the two silent digidestined and Upamon, confusion on his face. Cody could practically see the little digimon's mind turning as he tried to figure out what was going on. He didn't seem as affected by the tension and stress of worry as the other three. So, Cody wasn't really surprised when the pink bird-lookalike finally spoke up.

"Why is everyone so sad?" he asked, looking up at his partner. "TK's going to be okay, right? That's what you kept telling your sisters, Yolei!"

Yolei blinked down at him. "Yeah, but…"

"We can't help but worry, Poromon," Cody offered.

"But why?" Poromon asked. "TK wouldn't want to see you all worrying about him like this. He's hurt, but he'll get better. Isn't that right, Yolei?"

The lavender-haired girl blinked several times before she smiled. "That's right!" She sucked in a breath. "Why should we be moping around when so far he's still okay? And he _will_ be okay, because it's TK! Taking it out on ourselves by worrying ourselves to death isn't going to help anybody, and it's definitely not going to help TK. From this moment on, I'm going to forget this needless worrying and just focus on sending TK good thoughts so that he gets better soon." She nodded, determined.

Cody, on the other hand, wasn't quite as convinced. He saw Upamon looking up at him from his arms and gave a small sigh.

"He'll be okay, Cody," Upamon offered, trying to catch onto the optimistic spirit of the other two. "You know he will."

He might have known it, and he might have even actually felt it in his heart, but that wasn't going to make the worry go away.

x X x

"Hey, wait!" TK called again after the creature. He was running faster than he would have expected him to with his stubby little legs. "Slow down!"

TK was quick, too, and he was already gaining on him. The digimon lookalike was giggling the entire way, and he took a sudden sharp turn off of the path and into a thicket of trees. TK was sure he could catch him now. Already, he could see roots covering the ground and the grass growing thick and course in that thicket. There was no way the little creature could navigate through all of that and stay ahead of him.

"Ow!" TK yelped as the sharp turn made him run right into a low hanging branch. He brought his hands up to rub at his forehead before using those same arms to protect his head and face as he plowed on after the elusive flash of white and purple. He saw the creature disappear ahead of him and gave an annoyed sigh. "Will you stop for a minute? I just want to talk!"

Of course the creature didn't stop. TK could see ahead that they were coming to another clearing. The digimon lookalike broke through the tree line and TK followed just seconds later before he came to an abrupt stop. Confusion crossed his face as he stood there, breathing heavily from the run. He thought he had been right behind him. It seemed as though the creature had just vanished. Had he been imagining it the entire time…?

"Where in the world did he—AHH!"

TK stumbled backwards, losing his balance, and threw his arms out to break his fall. Even so, TK hit the ground with a hefty grunt, landing on his back. The little creature was still hanging upside down from the branch he had unexpectedly popped down from and giggling.

"You're silly," the creature announced before dropping and landed with a _plop_ onto TK's stomach.

"Umph!" _Note to self: Do not tell Matt that I got frightened by a fluffball of cuteness._

"That was a lot of fun!" the creature continued, walking up TK's torso so that he was standing on his chest and peering down into his face. "But you sure are slow for having such long legs! Can we play again?"

"Play?" TK repeated breathlessly. That entire chase had been part of some sort of game? Somehow, the basketball player wasn't very surprised. "I need to ask you a few questions."

"Oh?" This response did not seem to be what the creature wanted to hear as his floppy ears retracted to little stubs, making him look rather like a kicked puppy. "What sort of questions?"

TK sat up and the little creature jumped off of him to stand in front of him a few feet away. "Like… Where are we? Who are you? _What_ are you? Are you a digimon?"

"Digimon?" the little creature repeated, tilting his head to the side curiously. "What's that?"

"Uh…" TK started uncertainly. He could not ever remember meeting a digimon who didn't know what digimon were, so he was pretty sure that theory was crushed. "They're these creatures from this world called the Digital World. Does that sound familiar at all?"

"Hm…" he said thoughtfully. "Maybe. But I don't think I've ever been there!"

"Right…" TK said with a sigh. "Well, what's your name?"

"I'm Calumon!" he said brightly. "What's yours?"

"Calumon?" the basketball player repeated. That certainly sounded like the name of a digimon; it fit the pattern at least. "I'm TK. Where are we?"

Calumon looked around the clearing curiously before giving a shrug. "I don't know!" he said cheerfully, and TK felt his heart drop. "You dreamed it."

TK blinked at that. "I… Wait, what? I dreamed it? We're in my dream? So, I _am_ dreaming."

"I guess you could say that," Calumon said. He was starting to run laps around the Digidestined of Hope, obviously getting bored of staying in one spot for so long. "Though, it is strange. Most people don't even notice me!"

TK was starting to get the impression that this not-digimon was going to give him more questions than answers. He stared at him for a moment before finally managing, "Not notice you…? So I _didn't_ dream you up?"

"Nope!" he said cheerfully. "I like going from one person's dreams to the next. Humans sometimes have really funny dreams and sometimes really frightening, but lots of humans sleep all the time, so I never get bored. But you're the first that's ever noticed me." Then he stopped hopping around to look at him curiously. "You're the first to ask, too… There's something strange about you… something different."

The blonde watched Calumon curiously, trying to keep up with his words, but it all sounded so strange to him. "Okay, so… Where are we, then?" Feeling like Calumon was about to spout off another _I don't know_, he quickly continued, "I mean, the last thing I remember is being in an ambulance. I must be at the hospital by now, maybe… But I'm here. Which is my dream, but you said that you can jump from dreams… So where do you do the jumping from? Where do you get access to our dreams?"

Calumon brightened, as if happy by the question. "Oh! All dreams come together in one place! It's the energy of dreams that created my home!"

"What home is that?"

"The World of Dreams, silly," Calumon said, hopping up to him. "Where else would it be?"

TK blinked. "Wait, but I've been to the World of Dreams, and this isn't—"

"Tag! You're it!" Calumon suddenly cried, bopping TK in the forehead before he took off running through the trees once more.


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. If I did, I'd be a _professional_ writer already.

**Author's Note**: I am approximately 3 hours late with this update according to my clock, and for that, I sincerely apologize. Time just got away with me. C&W is still up in the air as to when exactly that will be updated, but the health problems I've been having recently that have kinda screwed around with my writing inspiration (not just for C&W, but this story as well, you just can't tell because these chapters were pre-written) will hopefully be resolved soon. Crossing my fingers!

Please don't kill me for the lack of TK in this chapter. He'll be back next chapter. I swear it! I hope you all do enjoy what you get, though. Even without TK, I rather enjoyed quite a few moments in this chapter. I hope I am not alone.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

"Hello!" Sora called out as she opened the front door of the Ishida apartment and made her way inside, letting herself in. During high school while she and Matt had been dating, she had grown quite accustomed to simply walking into the apartment without the need to knock. Now, even though they were no longer together, she still felt the same closeness to the blond that she always had and kept that freedom happily. She closed the door behind her and stepped past the coat rack before pausing to listen.

Voices were drifting through beyond the hallway further in the apartment, raised voices. Last night, through a series of texts and phone calls, several of the older digidestined had decided that the best plan was to meet up at Matt's before heading to the hospital to offer him whatever emotional support he needed. She had obviously been beaten by at least one other, as she could hear Mimi and Matt's rather heated voices carrying through the otherwise deafening silence. That made Sora's eyebrows rise in surprise.

_What in the world could those two be arguing about…?_

"Will you _quit_ telling me to _relax_?" Matt's voice was low and dangerous in a guttural growl that would be warning enough for most people to back off.

"I didn't say it that time!" Mimi, however, was not most people.

"You _meant it_."

"Yes, I did! And you need to! You'll end up giving yourself a hernia if you don't, and that won't help anyone, _especially_ TK!"

"Don't you _dare_ tell me what won't help TK, Mimi. And _stop _telling me to relax!"

_Oh, so that's what they're arguing about_, Sora thought dryly, but she said nothing as she stepped beyond the foyer and into the small apartment. The absolute silence of everyone who had already arrived save for the quarreling twosome suggested that was the best tactic. Even Tai, who usually did not know when to shut up, was deathly silent as he stared at his best friend and Mimi arguing. Izzy was finding something on his laptop screen to be the most interesting thing in the world. Joe also was being tactfully silent despite his nature to usually try to break up arguments such as these. The fact that his girlfriend was involved, and he still wasn't saying a word was sign that the tension had clearly been building over the course of the morning and had finally come to a head.

A small sigh of relief left Sora's lips as she noted that neither Hiroaki nor Nancy (who had been goaded into staying at the Ishida apartment instead of returning back to her home with TK where her baby boy would not be) appeared to be present. She knew she should have headed straight over as soon as she awoke instead of taking extra care to assist her mother with the new flower delivery. Her mother had even told her to go ahead, but she hadn't wanted to leave her without any help.

"NO! I won't, because you need to! You need to hear it even if you're too stubborn to listen!" Mimi shouted at a much higher volume than Matt. "And you wonder where TK learned it from! The doctors are going to take care of him. He's going to be—"

"If you say he's going to be _fine_ one more time, Mimi," Matt began in a dangerous voice that spelled out the warning he was trying to give, "I will find a way to ship you back to the Digital World and let Etemon deal with you."

Mimi looked defiantly at the blond digidestined, hands on her hips with her chocolate eyes flashing. Izzy sunk down lower in his chair, no longer pretending to be enamored with whatever was on the screen. Sora could see Tai looking between the two quarreling young adults with a lost look on his face as he wringed a napkin in his hands, destroying it unconsciously. She could practically feel the waves of exhaustion and tension floating off of everyone.

It looked as though nobody had slept very well the night before, not that she blamed them. Sora had slept very little, too. Lack of sleep, tensions running high, and everybody drowning in worry… No wonder a bomb was about to go off.

"TK is a fighter, Matt. He's going to be—"

"Don't say it."

"—_fine_," Mimi finished defiantly.

Matt's hands tightened into fists at his side, and he spun around to face the Child of Sincerity, probably ready to do something that he would regret immediately afterward. Everyone in the room bristled warily, and Tai leapt to his feet. The former leader opened his mouth to either join in the argument or attempt to call an end to it, but he was cut off by Sora who stuck two of her fingers in her mouth and gave a shrill whistle.

All heads in the room turned towards the redhead standing in the doorway. Matt slowly lowered his fists, but none of the tension left his body. Sora pointed at first her best friend and then her ex-boyfriend. "You and you, separate corners. Now." She pointed at her current boyfriend next. "You. Sit."

Tai was the first to comply. Matt stared incredulously at Sora before giving a growl and storming off toward his bedroom. Mimi crossed her arms over her chest, narrowed her eyes at Sora with a pout, before marching off into the kitchen. Sora wasn't sure which of them to go to first. Joe looked from Matt's closed bedroom door to the flash of pink hair bobbing around in the kitchen before wordlessly getting up to follow after his girlfriend. Izzy got up and began to attempt to clean up the mess that Tai had made with the napkin in mechanical motions that spoke volumes of someone looking for something to do to keep himself busy.

_Matt_, Sora decided. He was the one that needed her more. Not only did Mimi have Joe to cool her down, but Matt was the one whose brother was hurt.

"Tai, will you help Izzy clean up the mess you made?"

The bushy-haired teenager blinked before looking down toward the ground as if noticing all of the little white pieces of torn paper for the first time. Considering how intently he had been watching Matt and Mimi before, that was probably true. Izzy was down on the ground, picking up the little pieces one at a time, and Tai obediently moved to get down there to help out. Sora watched both of the boys with a touch of sympathy for a moment; she knew that both of them were worried for not only TK but Matt as well.

Bracing herself for battle, Sora turned away from the scene of the clean up to head towards the second bedroom to face the Child of Friendship. The moment she walked into the room (without knocking once again; she was certain it wouldn't have done any good), she was greeted with defensiveness.

"Are _you_ going to tell me that I need to relax too?"

"No," Sora answered.

Matt looked up from where he had been staring at his knees to look at her skeptically. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, and from the way it was made meticulously, she ventured a guess that Nancy had probably slept in here during the night. That meant that Matt most likely had the couch, which probably only added to the dark circles under the blonde's blue eyes.

"I think you have every right in the world to be as upset and worried as you are," she continued.

"I'm not upset," he snapped.

"Is that why you nearly hit one of your best friends right now?" Sora asked softly. She moved closer to him, but she didn't sit next to him or touch him even if she did want to wrap the blonde into a soothing embrace. She would let Matt make that move when he was ready to.

"I wasn't going to hit her," Matt said immediately before scowling, deciding that he didn't need to defend himself. He laid back on the bed and roll onto his side, leaving his back to Sora. "I suppose you're going to tell me that TK is going to be fine too, then."

"No, I'm not going to do that either, Matt," Sora said softly.

Even though Matt's shoulders seemed steady as he lay there, Sora could hear the slight hitch in his breath as he reacted to her words. So, when Matt spoke again with his voice wavering unsteadily, Sora expected it even as it still broke her heart. "He… he was in so much pain, Sora… He asked for Mom, and I haven't heard him ask for Mom like that since he was eight… And he said he couldn't breathe, and that it hurt everywhere… And then… And then his eyes just rolled back into his head… I've never seen anything like it. I thought… For a moment I thought…" Matt's voice broke, unable to continue with his thought. He rolled over even more, trying to shy away from Sora or his emotions or perhaps both, practically smothering his face into the bed sheets so that the redhead had to strain to hear him. "…I almost forgot this morning. I thought for a second that everything was normal, and it had been a terrible dream… But then I heard Mom's voice and I knew…"

Unable to keep the distance any longer, Sora moved to sit on the bed and placed a hand on his back, tracing calming circles with her fingers. A few heartbeats later, Matt was sitting up to look at her with bloodshot eyes, and she moved to properly hug him. He sunk into her gratefully. Sora heard the door click open, and she looked up to see Mimi peeking in tentatively. The redhead nodded to her. The pink-haired girl looked much calmer, apologetic, and there were tears shining in her eyes as she moved to join the pair of them. She dropped to her knees before them and wrapped her arms around both Matt and Sora's waists, turning it into a three-way embrace.

"I'm sorry," she whispered regretfully. "It's just the way I cope…"

"I know," Matt's choked up voice responded. "I'm sorry, too."

x X x

"Think they'll be okay?" Tai asked anxiously, watching the bedroom door.

Izzy looked back toward the door as well. He could see just a glimpse of the two girls and Matt, but it was hard to really tell what was going on. He didn't dare move from his spot at the kitchen table, though. It didn't feel right to invade Matt's privacy like that, and if the tears in Mimi's eyes had been any indication, a pretty vulnerable moment was taking place. Izzy turned back toward the kitchen table.

"They'll be fine," he said, believing it.

"Everybody is just so stressed with everything going on," Joe said quietly, cleaning his glasses on his shirt as he spoke. "I don't think Matt slept at all last night."

"I don't think any of us really did," Izzy offered quietly.

He certainly hadn't. There had been just too much going on in his head. It reminded him of some of the scarier times in the Digital World or even when him, Matt, and Tai had gone camping as a cover for the younger kids while they faced one of their toughest battles yet. They hadn't slept then either. As confident as they had all been in the new generation of digidestined, they had been just as worried at the same time too.

"I know Kari didn't," Tai said with a sigh. He leaned back against the back of the sofa and threw his arms over his head. "She looked like a zombie this morning. She was exhausted."

"You don't look much better," Izzy observed.

Tai blinked before sighing. "Probably not. Between Kari's tossing and turning and my own worry about TK, I know I didn't sleep much either." Joe and Izzy said nothing at this admission. They knew how big of a deal it was for Tai to admit to being worried about anything without having to point it out. A moment later, the bushy-haired college student continued, "You know what it reminded me of?"

"What?" Joe asked quietly.

"Datamon," Tai said with a far-off look on his face.

Izzy blinked. "Datamon?"

"Yeah." He swallowed. "You remember how helpless we all felt after Sora was kidnapped? We were all just sort of forced to wait, not able to do anything, not knowing if she was okay or… _anything_ really. I haven't felt that helpless in a while, but that's pretty much how I feel now."

"I think we all wish there was something more we could do," Joe said.

"We're digidestined!" Tai said furiously. "Helping people, saving lives, it's what we were meant to do. And now we're all just—"

"Stuck," Izzy finished.

The sudden passion in Tai's body seemed to fade with that word. He gave a tired sigh. "Yeah…"

The door to Matt's room was pushed open as the three others in the apartment stepped out. Izzy was relieved to note that all three of them seemed far calmer than they did before, and he found himself feeling very grateful that Sora showed up when she did. At the moment, they all needed some support and levelheadedness to keep them from going crazy with worry, Matt most of all. This morning, Sora had taken on the job; now, they just had to worry about next time.

A sudden idea entered his head.

"We ready to go?" Matt asked in a quiet voice.

His eyes were red rimmed, though his face was set. He was obviously ready to just get going and see his little brother.

"Yeah, let's get going," Tai said, jumping to his feet and moving to his best friend's side.

Izzy didn't move. "Actually, Matt, would you mind if I hung back for a few minutes? I have something I need to take care of." He nodded toward his laptop as he spoke.

Matt gave him a strange look, but he nodded anyway. "Just lock up when you leave."

"I will," he promised.

Joe was watching him curiously before he spoke up. "I think I'll stick around and wait with Izzy. If you don't mind?" He added the last part toward the computer genius.

Izzy shook his head. "Not at all."

Mimi looked between the two men curiously before shrugging her shoulders. She looked toward Sora and said, "Can I ride with you then, Sor'?"

The redhead looked just as bemused as the rest, but she nodded. A bit of shuffling later, and they were walking out the door, leaving Joe and Izzy alone in the Ishida apartment. Silence came over the two for several seconds after their departure before Joe finally moved to take the seat next to Izzy. The doctor-in-training surveyed his friend for a moment.

"So, what is this about?" he asked finally.

Izzy turned back to his laptop and began to type away. A moment later a digital gate appeared on the screen with a little green flashing light at the bottom. He smiled. It was open. He shouldn't have been surprised. Ever since MaloMyotismon's defeat three years prior, the gates between the Real World and the Digital World had remained open even for those without D-3s. Still, there would probably always be that lingering doubt every single time he tried to sign on.

"I'm calling Tentomon and the other digimon," he answered. "With everything that happened last night, none of us thought to do it, and I'm sure they'd like to know. Besides, I don't think Matt is handling this very well, and I was hoping…"

"That Gabumon might be able to help?" Joe ventured. Izzy nodded a little uncertainly. The blue-haired man smiled reassuringly. "I think it's a good idea. If anyone can help Matt, it's Gabumon."

The computer genius gave a small sigh of relief as he connected with the port near Primary Village, where he knew their digimon were found most often these days. Tentomon, in particular, usually had a habit of staying near the tv ports just in case his partner ever decided to pop in and speak with him.

"Tentomon?" Izzy called out, as he saw the port open to reveal the green landscape and the pastel village beyond the trees. "Tentomon, are you there?"

"Izzy?" The insect digimon popped into view. "Izzy, it is you!"

"Tento'…" he said fondly, feeling some of the tension ebbing away simply from seeing his partner's face. "Listen, are the other digimon around?"

"What? Am I not good enough for you?" Though the insect's face remained unchanged as always, Izzy could tell from his body language that he was practically pouting. Izzy simply chuckled, knowing that Tentomon was being overdramatic. "Oh, digimon! Izzy wants to talk to us!" he called out toward somewhere behind the tv screen.

A sound of shuffling was heard before the other digimon started to come into view.

"Hi, Izzy," Agumon said, sounding curious as he looked through the screen. "Where's Tai?"

"And Matt?" Gabumon added, looking over his shoulder.

"And Sora!"

"And Mimi!"

"And Joe—? Oh! Hi, Joe." Gomamon's tone immediately went from curious to nonchalant as his partner leaned into the frame. "Good to see you're still alive, still kicking." The digimon pretended to study his claws.

Joe smiled fondly. "It's good to see you, too, Gomamon."

"Wow! Izzy, Joe… you two look awful," Palmon said as she studied the two faces on the screen. "Is everything okay?"

"And where are the others?" Biyomon added, bringing a feathered finger up to her chin.

"They're at the hospital," Izzy answered. All of the digimon bristled worriedly upon hearing that. "TK was hurt last night. He's been admitted and as far as we've heard, he hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh no…" Biyomon gasped.

"Poor TK," Palmon said quietly.

"And Matt," Gabumon added, a frown on his face. "How is he?"

Joe shook his head. "Not good. That's why Izzy got the idea to call, actually. We were hoping you would come to the Real World for Matt to help him through this. He's not taking it very well."

"Of course," the canine digimon responded immediately. "Anything for Matt."

"Great," Izzy sighed in relief. He stood up and pulled out digivice, pointing it at the laptop. "Digiport open!"

A flash of light shone from the computer and a second later, Gabumon materialized in front of them. The dog digimon scratched at his fur anxiously, his thoughts obviously on his partner as he looked around hopefully before remembering Izzy's words.

"Izzy," Tentomon said from the screen, "is there anything the rest of us can do?"

The computer genius looked at his partner and shook his head. "Just stay near the port, alright? We'll try to keep you all informed the best we can."

"Tell TK to get better from all of us," Agumon said solemnly. "And let Tai know that I'm here if he needs me."

"All of us are," Biyomon added.

"That includes me too, Joe!" Gomamon said pointedly.

"I know, Gomamon," Joe said, smiling. "Thanks for always being there for me."

"If I wasn't, you'd lose your mind. You know how it is," he said easily.

"We'll talk to you soon," Izzy promised before waving. "Bye, Tento'."

"Bye!" the digimon echoed.

The digiport was closed off, and the computer was shut down a moment later. Izzy looked at Gabumon as he began to pack up his laptop and hesitated.

"Gabumon, do you think you can turn back into Tsunomon? You'll attract too much attention as you are now," he said.

The dog digimon blinked. "I've never tried purposefully turning back into Tsunomon before," he admitted before giving a bit of a shrug. "Well, here goes nothing."

Gabumon closed his eyes as he concentrated. A moment later, he was engulfed by a light before he shrank down into the talking head of Tsunomon. The little basketball-shaped digimon looked around and gave a bit of a sigh.

"After having two or more legs for so long, this almost feels a little strange!" he said.

Joe grinned.

x X x

"Do you think he'll be happy to see me?" Tsunomon asked from where his seat in Joe's lap in the ICU Waiting Room.

The small room was predominantly filled with digidestined and TK's parents, only two of whom were unaccounted for because they were back with TK. Matt and Kari had gone back together to see TK first before Izzy and Joe had even arrived at the hospital, but Kari had since returned to give up her spot to Davis who was to somehow coax Matt out into the waiting room. It seemed as though the older brother of the patient was refusing to leave his brother's side today, so the digimon hadn't even seen his partner yet.

The other digidestined were all in the room. Mimi was busying herself with a fashion magazine. Ken and Yolei were playing a distracted game of "Go Fish" with Tai and Sora. Cody sat working on some homework, or at least he was pretending to do some homework. Tsunomon hadn't seen the green-eyed boy write anything down in thirty minutes since Upamon had fallen asleep on his worksheet. He didn't even seem to notice.

The other three occupants of the waiting room were members of another patient's family. Apparently, none of them spoke Japanese. They had managed strained smiles that spoke volumes of worried family members when Joe and Izzy finally arrived and taken their places in the commons area. Tsunomon had seen Nancy say something to them in French, but after that short exchange, the two parties hadn't spoken a word to each other. The French family could probably sense the tension among the digidestined and decided to leave well enough alone.

"Of course he'll be happy to see you," Kari offered quietly.

At least that was better than her staring far off into nothing as she had been doing before Tsunomon spoke up.

"Go fish," Tai said listlessly from somewhere in front of them.

Yolei reached out to draw a card before giving a shout of triumph. "Aha! I got a three anyway! That means it's still my turn!... Right?" The question had been posed to Ken on her left.

The dark-haired boy gave a silent nod.

"Okay, Sora, do _you_ have any threes?" she asked slyly.

The redhead shook her head. "Go fish."

"C'mon, three!" Yolei muttered as she drew a card from the deck. She pouted, apparently not getting the card she had been hoping for.

Tsunomon looked from the card game back toward the amber-eyed girl. "Matt's not very fond of surprises," he pointed out.

"Trust me," Gatomon said from her spot by Kari's feet, "this is a surprise that he'll be grateful for."

"Even if he doesn't show it," Joe added. "Which, with everything going on and everybody's emotions all over the place, I doubt he'll be able to hide much of anything at this point."

"That's what I'm afraid of," the orange digimon muttered.

"Hey, Cody," Izzy said as he put his laptop aside so that he could better study the younger digidestined. "Would you like some help?"

The other boy did not even seem to hear him for a moment before he blinked. "Huh?" he asked, before his face went slightly pink. "Oh, no, thank you, Izzy. I think I got it."

Izzy sighed worriedly.

"Tai, Davis said you needed to tell me something?"

Tsunomon looked up as he heard his partner's voice, and he felt his worry grow. As everyone had already warned him, Matt was not taking his brother being hurt very well. He looked as if he had not slept at all the night before. If anything, he probably spent the entire night pacing and counting down the hours before he could be here with TK. Dark circles were hanging heavily under the blonde's eyes, and he seemed ready to pass out on the spot though the emotions running through his gaze was enough to show that he wouldn't allow himself to do that anytime soon.

Tai looked at Matt for a moment before wordlessly turning to look at Joe and Tsunomon instead. The little head-shaped digimon sat up straighter as Matt's eyes slowly moved to follow Tai's gaze.

"Hey, Matt," Tsunomon said quietly as his partner finally saw him.

Blue eyes widened. "Tsunomon?" he asked quietly. He walked up to him and gently picked him up out of Joe's lap. "What are you doing here?"

"Izzy thought you might be able to use a little backup," Tsunomon said solemnly.

Matt turned to look at Izzy for a moment with gratitude shining in his eyes. Tsunomon wondered why he had ever been worried in the first place. Then, without saying a word, Matt moved to head back toward the ICU, carrying his partner the entire way.

"Thanks for coming," the Child of Friendship finally whispered.

"Anytime," Tsunomon said seriously.

x X x

"… Masato and the rest of the basketball team called and left me a message last night," Davis said. "They won, so you don't have to feel bad about having to skip out on the last half of the game because of some jerk being a sore loser."

The consistent beeps of the heart monitor and the slow, mechanical rhythmic sounds of assisted breathing were the only response Davis received from his otherwise motionless friend. Davis had a chair scooted up to the side of TK's bed so that he could watch his friend's face. There was a bit of bruising showing up on the right side of it now. The bandage that wound around the blonde's head mostly covered it. It had taken nearly five minutes to finally convince Matt that what Tai needed to tell him had to be done in person and, yes, was important enough to leave his little brother's side. He had chosen to say Tai instead of Izzy or Joe, because he figured that if anyone could get the blonde to do something, it was his fellow gogglehead.

Though, after finally seeing TK for the first time since the accident, Davis could understand the reluctance. He had never seen anyone like this before, and it had nearly taken his legs out from under him. People weren't meant to look that fragile when in reality they were usually so strong, were they? He was very much glad in that moment that he had DemiVeemon with him, and he finally understood why getting Tsunomon to Matt had been so important.

"And don't even think about lecturing me about hitting that guy," the soccer player continued as if TK had actually made a move to respond. "He deserved it, and I know you would have done the same for me if the situations were reversed. In fact, I seem to remember you _actually_ doing the same for me a few months ago. So, you can't get onto me for something you've already done."

He was disappointed when TK didn't open his open to glare at him and point out that _he_ wasn't the one getting detentions every other week so he didn't need to be as careful. _Besides_, Davis could practically hear the basketball player saying, _that jerk deserved it._ The burgundy-haired boy almost smiled.

"Ken stayed over at my place last night. You were invited too, but I guess you decided that this place is better than a sleeping bag on my floor," Davis said, attempting to continue the one-sided conversation. "It's probably a good thing. We didn't sleep. Not really. And not in the whole laughing and eating junk food until the sun came up kind of not sleeping either. It… This sucks, TS."

For a second, Davis thought he saw a flicker of something cross TK's face, and he sat up hopefully. But whatever it was, it was gone quickly, and Davis sunk back into his chair, deflated. This was getting downright depressing. Not that he exactly imagined seeing his friend – _any _of his friends – in the hospital to be an exciting affair, but when he had been in the hospital a few months before, he had been surrounded by jokes, flowers, and offers of candy. Not… this.

"Junk food would have definitely made it better," DemiVeemon offered quietly from his place next to Patamon on TK's pillow.

Speaking of Patamon, the little digimon looked just like the rest of the digidestined. Usually, digimon could sleep at anytime through anything. At least, that was the impression that the gogglhead always had gotten, but Patamon definitely looked like a digimon who was lacking sleep. His eyelids were droopy and his entire demeanor seemed completely out of it, but the digimon refused to tear his eyes away from his partner's form. Davis had the sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't until the blonde woke up.

"You should have seen Kari this morning. She didn't sleep either, but she seemed really… out of it. I mean, _really_ out of it. Kinda zombified actually. She's… she's really worried about you," his voice was low as he tried to continue talking. "So… so you gotta get better, okay? I know you'd do anything for her, and this is really something that you have to do, so… wake up."

The sound of the room door shutting startled Davis out of the intense stare he had been giving his friend. He turned to see Matt joining him at TK's bedside again. From the look on his face, he hadn't heard Davis's desperate pleas, which the gogglehead was grateful for. It wasn't that he was at all ashamed at wanting his friend to wake up, but he just didn't think that the older blonde needed to hear that right now. Matt looked the worse out of all of them.

"How is he?" he asked.

"The same," Davis replied.

Matt moved over to the bed, carrying Tsunomon in his arms. DemiVeemon looked up when his partner spoke and smiled as he saw the other digimon.

"Hi, Tsunomon!" he said brightly.

Patamon looked up at that and did a double-take, surprised to see the other digimon since he hadn't been let in on the surprise. DemiVeemon bounced to the other side of the pillow on TK's other side while Matt gently set down the basketball-shaped digimon in the spot that the blue in-training had just vacated. Davis watched, bemused, as Tsunomon moved to rest against Patamon in an almost brotherly embrace.

_I guess our digimon really do mimic us_, he thought, blinking.

"Thanks, Davis," Matt said heavily as he sat in the other chair at TK's side that he had left earlier. "For…" He nodded toward Tsunomon.

Davis shrugged. "They wanted it to be a surprise, so…"

"Thanks." The gogglehead found himself unsure of how to respond. Luckily, Matt saved him the trouble by continuing, "You two seemed to be having a good conversation before I came back in. Don't let me interrupt it."

Davis smiled awkwardly, and Matt reached out to grab TK's hand in his own once more. He watched for a moment the way that Matt ran his thumb over his brother's limp fingers before he picked up the one-sided dialogue with his oblivious friend right where he left off.

"Emino also called. Did I tell you? She was worried about you. Saori, though… She was in the stands last night. Screaming her head off, actually. I'm sure you heard her. She's president of your fan club in case you've forgotten." Davis actually waited a heartbeat to hear TK's embarrassed voice saying: _I do _not_ have a fan club_. When it didn't come, he responded to it anyway, "Dude, you really do have a fan club. I swear. It's sickening. They're all mental, of course, but that doesn't stop it from being true…"

And so he carried on with Matt, Tsunomon, DemiVeemon, and rarely Patamon occasionally contributing to the conversation as if TK was actually participating in it.

x X x

Nancy frowned at the clock on the wall over TK's bed and repeated the expression when her watch confirmed the time. She had said very little since returning to TK's bedside and joining in Matt's vigilant watch over his younger sibling. Matt had been in the room all morning, and nearly every single person that was out in the waiting room for TK had managed to take a turn by the young blonde's bedside. Matt had refused to move, though; it was obvious that he was planning on staying unless someone forced him out.

Matt had been carrying on a conversation with TK when she had walked in. If someone hadn't warned her ahead of time of the fact that the older blonde had taken over where Davis had apparently left off, she would have gotten her hopes up that TK was awake to have heard Matt talking to him like that.

She hadn't even thought of trying to stop him, though. Beyond the fact that it was rather comforting to her to hear her son's voice speaking so freely in front of her and unintentionally getting her caught up in his life, she had always heard that even if someone was unconscious or in a coma, they could still hear you talking to them.

She made a mental note to grab a book when she returned home so that she could bring it with her next time to read to him aloud. Not that Matt wasn't doing a surprisingly good job of keeping up a steady stream of words about the band, his friends, new music, and teachers that TK should avoid, but Nancy knew that he would tire eventually. Tsunomon was helping diligently and was doing a good job of filling in the gaps of silence whenever Matt would pause to choose a new topic, but Patamon had been perfectly silent since she had returned.

A light rapping on of knuckles on the door came far too soon and Nancy sighed as she turned to see the nurse standing there.

"I'm sorry, five minute warning," the nurse said quietly. "We have to ask you to leave from noon until two to give the patients a chance to rest, for shift changes, and the doctor's afternoon rounds. There'll be a new shift here when you get back; I'll be sure to fill them in on everything." She nodded to Matt and Nancy and then repeated, "Five minutes," before ducking out into the next room.

Matt looked crestfallen that he had to leave, and Nancy couldn't blame him. She didn't want to leave her baby either.

"We'll be back," she promised both of her sons.

Seeing the crushed look on Matt's face and her youngest in the hospital bed, side-by-side, was breaking her heart into millions of irreparable pieces.

"I don't want to leave," Matt protested, his blue eyes shining with desperation. "I thought there might have been a moment… it looked like he was really listening for a second… Don't make me leave. I want to be here in case he wakes up."

"Matt, we'll come back," Tsunomon promised, looking up at his partner with sympathetic eyes.

"Matt," she said gently as she watched him lock his jaw defiantly. She resisted the urge to sigh as she wished Hiroaki was here to coax the oldest away from his baby brother's side; he always knew how to better deal with Matt than she did. "I want to be beside him in case he wakes up just as much as you do. It's killing me to leave him in here like this, even with Patamon watching over him," she paused to give the little digimon a grateful smile but he didn't seem to notice, "but the doctors are keeping him sedated. Chances are he's not going to wake up while we're gone." That broke her heart too. "I know how much you want some sign from him that he will… and he _will_ but not yet." She hoped that her words sounded more believable to him than to her.

Nancy's sweet, strong, tender-hearted, brave son's conquered expression reminded her just how much Matt was still her little teary-eyed baby boy. He might have graduated high school and be just months from leaving his teen years behind, but he was still her little baby and he always would be. So rarely did she get reminded of that fact nowadays with Matt, but it was times like this when it really hit her. Just like seeing TK, who had been fighting since he was eight to show just how much he could take care of himself and how independent he could truly be, like this reminded her how much she couldn't protect them both forever.

The nurse walked past the room again and looked in, but she said nothing to hurry them out and for that Nancy was grateful.

The sandy-haired mother, who had quite the collection of gray hairs in her bob thanks to her two sons, moved to adjust the blanket over TK. Matt stood up, reluctantly letting his brother's hand go. Nancy bent to give TK a kiss.

"We'll be back, Takeru," she promised, smoothing his hair away from his forehead as gently as possible.

"You know, he hates it when you use his full name," Matt said quietly as his mother started toward the door. The older brother clenched his jaw tightly as he stuffed his free hand into his pocket and held onto Tsunomon with the other. He looked over TK one more time before he followed Nancy out the door.

"That's news to me," she whispered.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. And, thanks to this chapter, I must also admit that I do not own Harry Potter either.

**Author's Note**: And so the excitement begins! I hope you all enjoy this installment of BB. You see more of some of the OCs that I've already semi-introduced throughout the story. There's also a lot of romantic shipping details brought up in this chapter that Takari fans will hopefully enjoy. Also, I hope you all like the image I chose for the story. I figured a simple picture of the Crest of Hope was simplistic and perfect enough without giving anything away.

Anywho, enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

"Tag! You're it!"

The small creature's words echoed through TK's head as he stared at his retreating back. The light-haired teen let out a frustrated noise and hoisted himself to his feet to start after him again.

_The World of Dreams. He said that I was in the World of Dreams, but this looks nothing like the World of Dreams where we faced off against MaloMyotismon. Maybe it's not the same place? _

It seemed to TK that the only thing he could take from that answer was that he was dreaming and not dead, which was good, but he was also further convinced more than ever that this was something beyond just a normal dream. The digimon lookalike running away from him was the key to getting some answers; if only he could get the little creature to stay still. Chasing after him was going to get old real quick if he kept this up.

Calumon disappeared around a particularly large oak, and TK let out a frustrated sound again. Yeah, this was definitely going to get old. He felt like Alice in Wonderland chasing after the white rabbit. He made a face at the mental analogy. Comparing himself to Alice was another thing that he was definitely not going to tell Matt _if_ he ever woke from this. The sudden sliver of doubt nearly made TK stumble to the ground, but he managed to keep his footing as he rounded the same oak.

"Will you please stop? I don't understand what's going on! I need your help! Hey!" he called out ahead of him, hoping to guilt the creature into stopping.

The digimon lookalike didn't stop running.

"Calumon!"

TK broke through another line of trees and staggered at the sudden change in scenery. Gone was the almost feudal feeling garden. The grass gave way to paved streets and sidewalks, and buildings and housing that stood side-by-side. He half expected to see busy cars and people roaming around, but there were none. He and Calumon were still the only ones around. Speaking of the digimon, the little white creature took a sudden turn into one of the buildings.

The same strange feeling of familiarity overcame TK as he looked up at the building. He was certain he had seen it before somewhere. He found himself walking at a much calmer pace as he approached the building, staring at it with confused eyes. Something told him that he knew which apartment Calumon was running toward, but how he knew, he couldn't say. He stepped beyond the front doors and into the lobby, his gaze moving to trail along the mailbox listings immediately inside the foyer. Most of it was in gibberish that didn't make any sense to TK, some sort of dream made-up language that he wasn't meant to understand. However, on one of the name plates listed a name that TK could read quite clearly:

_Ishida_.

TK froze. That couldn't be right, but the name was as clear as the colors on the walls. This wasn't Matt and Dad's apartment building, though. He could tell that just by looking around at the lobby even if the outside structure hadn't already given him that clue. He walked up to the mailboxes and gently ran his fingers over the name plate as if that would change what it said. It didn't.

_Yeah, I'm dreaming, _he thought as he dropped his hand, _and this just seriously got a whole lot more confusing_.

He turned away from the mailboxes, allowing his eyes to trail over the elevators for a moment. Somehow, he knew that they wouldn't work without even trying them. He didn't question this sixth sense, figuring that it was best just to follow his instincts at the moment rather than worry about things too much. He already had enough questions to deal with. Instead, he headed toward the stairwell and began to climb.

Whether it was because he was in a dream or the world was just set up in this way, he reached the sixth floor in no time at all before he even started to feel winded. He didn't even have to second guess which apartment he was heading toward either as he walked toward the third door on the left and walked in. The door was unlocked, and he found that he wasn't surprised by that fact. The door naturally swung closed behind him, leaving him standing in the foyer of a rather nice looking family apartment.

No lights were on, but that didn't overcast the apartment with shadows. Instead, the same omnipresent light shone throughout the rooms here as well, lighting everything around him. He could feel the same strange sensation of eyes everywhere watching him, but he was starting to get used to that. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Calumon?" he called cautiously as he stepped further into the apartment.

There was something eerily familiar about this place, just like everything else he had seen so far, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to keep his guard up. Too many questions still existed for him to simply calm down just because he might be having a mere dream. He heard a childish giggling coming from one of the far rooms, and his head turned in that direction before his body followed.

He pushed open the door and found himself in a boy's bedroom. The room seemed to be going through a stage of mistaken identity, as it was filled with an assortment of childish baby toys and teenaged possessions. Baby blocks and the newest game system sat side-by-side. Baby books were on the same shelf as tossed about sporting magazines. A basketball ball was placed next to a basket of teething rings. The adult sized bed had a baby mobile hanging overhead of cartoon-shaped animals. And Calumon was in the center of the room, playing with the little games and gadgets attached to the child's play table where high school textbooks were piled, forgotten, underneath.

"Hey…" TK whispered, afraid of sending the digimon lookalike running off again.

Calumon stopped moving one of the beaded blocks along the track that it was attached to so that he could look up at him with curious eyes instead. The little creature tilted his head to the side as he watched him, as if trying to work out a puzzle or decide what to do. The open window behind him, where a soft breeze was blowing the baby blue curtain lightly in the wind, suddenly looked very dangerous. TK wasn't sure how physics worked in this world, but he had a good idea that Calumon probably did. So, if he decided to jump out the window, the blond wasn't sure if he would have enough guts to simply follow and hope for the best.

TK moistened his lips and raised his hands in a passive gesture. "Please don't run away again."

"You're still here," Calumon pointed out.

Something about the statement made TK pause as he knew he didn't imagine the touch of worry that crept into the digimon lookalike's voice. The creature seemed to have lost some of his playful fervor upon seeing TK again, and the blonde realized that his being here was another oddity that was not normal in Calumon's world. Just more questions to add to the lack of answers.

"Why are you still here?" he whispered, obviously talking more to himself than TK.

Either way, the basketball player decided to respond. "I don't know," he said bracingly. "I don't know much of anything about this place. That's why I followed you, because I need answers and because I don't know what else to do."

Calumon frowned at him. "You shouldn't still be here. You should have left by now. Time moves differently here than in your world."

"What do you mean?" TK asked.

Because it looked like Calumon actually wanted to talk now instead of just play games, TK found himself relaxing as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. The little creature was watching him with those jade green eyes the entire time, his ears retracted into little stubs that made his worry and uncertainty even more prominent. The Child of Hope tried not to let the sudden contrast in mood get to him.

"You just don't make sense," Calumon said bluntly. TK found that he didn't know whether he should be offended by that or not, so he just kept his mouth shut. "Most humans just come here for a few moments at a time before going back to their normal dreams. Did you leave already and come back?"

"I haven't gone anywhere," TK said slowly. "What do you mean by _normal dreams_? I thought I was dreaming. What's the difference?"

Even though he had already come to the conclusion that this was no normal dream, it was still a strange affirmation to actually hear Calumon say it aloud. It wasn't exactly a comfort to know that one of his theories had actually panned out to be correct. It also still didn't explain how he got here or where exactly here was, as he still wasn't convinced that this was the World of Dreams as he remembered it.

"All humans can enter the World of Dreams, but most people only enter it for moments at a time, when they are in their deepest of sleeps. But it's just another dream. Most people aren't aware that they've slipped into another realm for even just a second, and they certainly never see me or remember being here before!" His words were thoughtful as he tried to explain.

TK found himself shaking his head. "I went to a place called the World of Dreams three years ago, and it looked nothing like this." He gestured around them vaguely.

Calumon blinked. "And you remember this?"

"Yes."

"But… how did you get there?" he asked, watching him curiously.

TK hesitated in thought for a moment before starting, "It's hard to explain." He took a breath. "I… I mean, my friends and I opened a gate to the World of Dreams from our world and entered that one. We weren't trying to get there, but there were other things that happened that made us end up somewhere that we never meant to be. And it was… a very strange place. Hard to describe."

"Well," the digimon lookalike began, "were you awake when you went?"

The blond nodded slowly. "Yeah. We all were."

That brought another grin out across Calumon's face. "Well, you didn't expect to see the World of Dreams's real form while you were awake, did you? It's called the World of _Dreams_ for a reason, silly!"

"So, you're saying… that _this_ is its real form?" he asked.

"Yes and no," Calumon answered cryptically.

"Yes and no?" TK repeated, bewildered. "What does _that_ mean?"

"This is the real form as you see it. Everyone else that enters the World of Dreams while sleeping will see their own world, their own dream," he explained. "All of them are the true forms of the World of Dreams, because that's what the World of Dreams is all about."

Unable to resist the temptation, TK stood and walked over to the window to look outside at the world that he had apparently created. That would explain why everything looked so familiar but at the same time not really. If what Calumon was saying was true, he must have visited this world a hundred times before while sleeping, and he just never could hold onto those memories.

"How come it feels so real, then?" he asked, pressing his hand to the glass. "I don't remember dreams feeling like this. I can… smell the flowers, feel the wind… I could even feel pain when I pinched myself. That's not normal dream behavior." He turned to study the digimon look alike.

"That's because this is a real world, TK," Calumon answered, moving to plop down in one of the toddler chairs. "This might be the World of Dreams, but it's just as real as the waking world. In regular dreams, you can dream of falling and nothing happens. But if you enter this world at the wrong moment or something happens while you're here… The effects are felt in the real world, too."

Blue eyes stared at the white creature in shock. "Are you saying that if I die here… I die in the real world?"

Calumon nodded solemnly. "It can happen. That's why humans aren't meant to stay here," he continued. "They're only meant to be here for moments at a time, because it's dangerous."

TK swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling a bit more paranoid about everything around him. The feeling that he was being constantly watched suddenly didn't seem as innocent, and he found himself needing to sit down to catch his breath. Die in his sleep? That's essentially what they were talking about here. If he died here, that's what everyone else back home would assume happened. He just died in his sleep. Of course, there was the slightest possibility that the little creature was making this up, but TK's instincts were telling him that he was telling him the truth. He knew to trust those instincts.

"What about you?" he finally asked.

"Me?" Calumon repeated. "I live here, like I said! This is my home."

"How long have you been here?"

"Hmm…" he started thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. Time passes differently here than in your world, so there's really no way to tell it. But my whole life just about sums it up!" He stopped and then went back to studying the blue-eyed boy again. "But you really should have woken by now. Even if you were having a really extra long dream or were in a really deep sleep, you should have been able to go back to your normal dreams already. I don't know why you're still here."

TK sighed, looking off for a moment. "I don't know why either, Calumon."

x X x

The ride back to the Ishida apartment was one filled with tense silence. Davis, always one to prefer noise and talking to simple silence, was grinding his teeth together by the time they pulled into the parking lot. Nobody else seemed to be feeling his pain. Kari sat next to him in the backseat, her head resting against the window, her thoughts obviously a million miles away, even too far for Gatomon, who sat in her lap, to reach. Ken sat in front of him in the passenger seat in an almost identical position as Kari. Minomon had said nothing since the ride begun.

Davis was starting to regret more than ever not taking Sora up on her offer to ride with her, Mimi, and Yolei. He knew that at least the girls (minus Kari) would have preferred joking and talking to this insufferable silence. He'd also had the choice of riding with Joe, Izzy, and Cody or even Matt and his parents, but he'd thought riding with Tai was a safe choice. He had been wrong. Even DemiVeemon seemed to decide that silence was the best course of action and kept his mouth shut.

He turned to look at Kari. Tai's car was small enough that he could actually reach out and grab her hand if he wanted, and he wanted to if only to offer her comfort. He could tell how worried and crushed she was over this. The lack of pangs of jealousy just reaffirmed what he had known for over a year now; he didn't love her anymore. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He would always love Kari, like the way he would always love Yolei or even Ken, but he wasn't in love with her. Not the way that she was in love with TK, and not the way that TK loved her back.

Now, if only the two of them would stop being so stupid and just say something already. Maybe this would push them toward that, if TK ever woke up…

Davis leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window and desperately tried to block out the dark thoughts. This was another reason that he wished he had ridden with the other girls instead. They all seemed to have come to the conclusion that hoping for the best was the better route, and Davis wanted to do the same, but it was hard not to soak up the uncertainty that was practically exuding from Kari and Ken.

Really, Davis loved both of them dearly; he loved all of the digidestined. Having such a close knit, large group of friends was wonderful. Most of the time, he loved it, even with all of the teasing that tended to be thrown in his particular direction. Had he not been as sleep deprived, cranky, worried, and upset as he was, he would have simply ignored the tension and taken this time to nap away.

"Will someone just say something?" he attempted, unable to keep it in anymore.

Tai didn't seem to hear him. Ken shifted in front of him but said nothing. DemiVeemon looked up at him with concerned eyes but seemed unable to know what to say. Kari was still for several moments before she finally lifted her head off of the window to turn to look at him.

"Sorry, Davis," she whispered. The tremble in her voice showed just where her thoughts had been during the silence.

"Don't be sorry," he said immediately, feeling guilty for having said anything. "Just… don't be so sad. He'll be alright."

He turned toward her, hoping that his words might have left some sort of impression, but she just swallowed before turning her face back toward the window. He gave a sigh as he leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest. More insufferable silence followed. He saw Ken looking over the back of his seat at him, and they stared at each other for a moment before the ebony-haired boy gave a helpless shrug and turned back around. Silence. Suffocating silence accompanied them the rest of the way to the Ishida apartment.

_If only TK was here, _Davis thought as he watched the scenery passing by, _he'd know what to say to make her feel better… _

x X x

"_Feel better, Davis," Kari said with a smile as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the soccer player's cheek. _

_The burgundy-haired boy smiled but was mostly distracted by the bag of chocolates that his friend had brought for him. He selected a candy and popped it into his mouth as he leaned back against the pillow on the hospital bed that he was currently propped up on. His leg was suspended in the air with a cast around his foot, restricting movement at the moment. _

_He caught sight of Kari moving to leave and spoke with his mouth full, "Bye, Kari!" _

_She shot an amused glance toward him before walking out. He turned back to the candies and was moving to select another one when he caught Ken's curious glance toward him. His best friend was sitting in a chair next to his bed; he had been suspiciously quiet during Kari's visit, but it was obvious now that he wanted to say something. Davis lowered the bag of candies into his lap. _

"_What?" he asked. _

"_That was different," Ken observed quietly as he looked from Davis toward the door. _

"_What was?" he said, confused. _

"_Kari kissed you on the cheek, and you didn't freak out. In fact, you didn't flirt once that entire visit," he pointed out. _

_Davis just smiled and shrugged easily. "No reason to." _

"_What do you mean?" _

_He abandoned the bag of candies on the food tray in front of him before throwing his arms over the back of his head and leaned back comfortably. "I don't really like Kari like that anymore," he admitted. _

_Ken's eyebrows shot up. "Since when?" _

"_I'm not exactly sure, but…" He smiled a bit to himself. "Do you remember the Valentine's Day Dance last year?" _

_Ken nodded, still watching his friend a curious expression. "TK asked Kari to dance," he said when Davis didn't continue right away, "and then you demanded to dance with her after they were done." _

"_While they were dancing," Davis began with an easy smile, "I realized that I didn't care. I mean, I still care for her, but not like _that_. And when I was dancing with her, I didn't feel anything. It felt nice, but it wasn't right. You know what I mean?" _

_The ebony-haired boy smiled softly. "I think I do," he said. "But why do you still flirt with her then? And why not now?" _

"_It's for TK," Davis said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "He's never going to say anything unless somebody makes him. I'm _trying_ to make him by making him jealous, and I think it's working. Slowly." _

_Ken blinked. "So, if he's not around… No reason to flirt," he realized. _

"_Exactly," Davis said. _

_A knock on the door made them both look up, and a second later, the subject of their conversation poked his blond head in. TK smiled at them as he stepped in, and Davis and Ken smiled innocently back. _

"_Hey, Davis," TK said, walking up to the foot of his bed. "How'd the surgery go?" _

"_Good," he answered. "They said I should be out of the cast in six weeks." _

"_Eight weeks if he doesn't stay off of his ankle," Ken added. _

_TK grinned at the quieter boy before turning back to the patient in the bed. "I brought you some real food. I know you eat anything, but…" _

_He shrugged and held up the fast food bag. Davis's eyes widened, and he greedily grabbed it before moving to immediately dig into the french fries. TK laughed as he moved to take the seat on the other side of the bed. _

"_Kari came by earlier," Davis mentioned after swallowing. _

"_Is that where the candy came from?" TK asked as he moved to steal one. _

"_Hey!" Davis protested. "Those are mine! And yes. She even gave me a kiss." _

_He grinned broadly at his golden-haired friend, deciding not to clarify where the kiss was located, as TK pretended to suddenly be very interested in the candy wrapper. _

"_That's nice," he said nonchalantly. _

_Davis rolled his eyes and turned toward Ken. 'See?' he mouthed at him. 'Hopeless.'_

_Ken brought a hand up to his mouth to stifle his laughter. _

x X x

The car pulled into the parking lot and took the space next to the one Matt's parents had just pulled into, and Joe pulled into the one next to them. Davis knew that Sora, Mimi, and Yolei were on a food run and would be joining them shortly. The burgundy-haired teen jumped out of the car quickly, finding the need for fresh air suddenly necessary. The others all started to head up toward the apartment, but Davis hung back.

Feeling eyes on him, he commented to whoever was listening, "I'm going to go for a walk."

He started toward the sidewalk, giving a bit of a sigh. It wasn't that he wanted to be alone, but going up to the apartment where he knew everyone would probably be quiet out of respect for all of the worried ones in the house was almost more than he could take. He would just wait for Sora, Mimi, and Yolei to return with the food. That seemed like the safest bet.

"Davish, is everything okay?" DemiVeemon asked quietly, looking up at him.

He looked down at his digimon with an uncertain smile for a moment before giving a shake of his head. "I don't know, DemiVeemon," he admitted. "It doesn't seem like it, does it?"

The in-training digimon gave a shake of his head. Davis paused in his step when he heard footsteps behind him, and he turned to see Ken following him with Minomon in his arms. Upon getting caught, Ken hesitated for a moment before moving to join him. Davis smiled at him to show that it was alright before they started walking again toward some unknown location.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything in the car," Ken finally said.

"He's going to be fine," he repeated what he had said to Kari.

Ken didn't look convinced. "He didn't look too good," he said quietly.

"He's going to be _fine_."

But even as Davis said the words, he wondered how much he truly believed that. He remembered the bandages around his head, the bruising on his face, the beeping of the heart monitor, the tube down his throat… All of it nearly made him shudder, too.

"Look," Ken said, suddenly.

Davis looked up to see a blue clunker car coming toward them. It pulled over against the curb next to them, and a second later, a short, skinny kid with baggy overly comfortable clothes and glasses climbed out through the window. Ataru shot them a wave as he moved around the car to stand with them.

"I went by your place first, Davis, to see if you were there, but your mom said something about you being at the hospital. Just happened to see you two on my way over there," the scrawny and somewhat scruffy teenager said, moving to sit on the hood of his car, his legs dangling over the side. "You both look like crap."

Davis blinked. "So do you," he offered, a little grumpily, before moving to pull himself up onto the hood with him.

Ken simply moved to lean against the passenger side door. DemiVeemon and Minomon remained perfectly still in their arms. Silence fell over them for a moment before Davis turned to study their fellow soccer player. The boy's usually shaggy red hair was, at the moment, cropped into a very short buzz job. Davis raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to your head?"

Ataru Kai ran a hand over his short hair and scowled. "My dad's new girlfriend happened to it. I'm thinking that I might have to skip school for the next two weeks before it looks presentable."

Davis leaned back on his elbows and just nodded in response. Ataru looked between Davis and Ken uncertainly. He had expected at least a crack of a smile from one of them. The redhead gave a small sigh.

"He's that bad, huh?"

Ken offered a response in the form a short nod, his eyes focused on his shoes.

Ataru was a senior. He had been on the soccer team with Tai Kamiya, and when Tai had put in a good word for both of them, Ataru hadn't questioned it. He had just taken both boys under his wing without batting an eye. His guidance, especially following Davis's injury, had been very helpful these past few months, and the two digidestined knew that they could trust him. It was no surprise that Ataru had shown up to see how they were doing personally despite not knowing TK very well. He knew Tai, and he knew Davis and Ken, and all three of them vouched for the blonde, so he liked TK by reputation alone.

"I was worried when I didn't hear from you guys this morning. Almost gave in and called Shinji," he paused at his another attempt at a joke, but then continued when he realized he wasn't going to be getting much of a response today, "but I figured you guys just needed space."

"Thanks," Davis said sincerely.

"How bad is it, really?" Ataru asked.

"They're keeping him in the ICU," Davis answered, staring up at the sky. If he concentrated enough, he could make pictures in the white puffiness. DemiVeemon had slipped off of his chest when Ataru wasn't looking and settled himself comfortably on the hood next to him. "He had to have surgery, and he hasn't woken up since the ambulance ride to the hospital."

"My offer from my message last night still stands," Ataru said.

"As much as I would like to focus on soccer and kick some balls at some oversized egos, no offense, instead of being stuck worrying about who will breakdown next or what's going to happen," Davis said, speaking half to Ken as well as to Ataru, "I don't want to leave. I need to be there in case something happens, in case someone hears something. Plus, I'm running on empty, and who knows what that will do to my game."

"And you shouldn't be playing again for a few more weeks anyway," Ken offered quietly, managing a half-smile. "That's what your doctor said."

Davis waved him off, but Ataru nodded, understanding completely on both accounts. Another car was making its way down the street, and it began to slow down as it neared them making Davis sit back up. This car was much newer, and a gleaming, red Nissan. Two people were riding in the front with a third hanging out in the back. Ataru glanced over and winced as he saw it, before sliding off of the hood and gestured for Ken to move so that he could reach into his car through the passenger door window. Ken raised an eyebrow and then cracked a brief smile at the baseball cap his teammate pulled over his head hastily.

"What?" Ataru asked as he looked between the two other soccer players. "I don't want the basketball dorks to see my new do. Might make them jealous."

Shinji Yoshida's car pulled to a stop on the opposite side of the street, and the teenagers hopped out. Davis jumped off of the hood of Ataru's car and gave a short nod to the trio. Shinji, Kira, and Masato returned with their own nods as they joined them on their side of the street.

"Shinji, Kira," Ataru muttered in greeting and gave a nod to the third teenager who he obviously didn't know.

"Ataru," Kira repeated in kind, "Davis, Ken."

Shinji said nothing. An awkward silence fell over the three soccer players and three basketball players, before Masato stepped forward and grabbed Davis in a tight hug. Davis was too surprised at the unexpected gesture to do anything but stiffen his arms at his sides as the older and much taller boy delivered his embrace. Masato stepped back and rubbed his copper hair awkwardly.

"They benched that guy for the rest of the game. I think his coach was worried that our players might have a personal vendetta against him. We just took it out on the rest of the team," Masato said, breaking the silence.

"This puts us at six wins and one loss, really good spot for us to enter the championships," Kira said, jamming his hands uncomfortably in his pockets. "Coach is gonna try to reschedule so that we don't play again until after Christmas. Just in case, you know, TK might be able to make it…"

Silence fell over the group. Davis knew that TK wouldn't be able to make it to the game, even following Christmas. Even if TK woke up today, that arm would probably keep him out of the game for at least two more months. It was also clear that nobody really knew what to say. The six of them didn't really socialize together in high school, and that much was painfully obvious at the moment.

"We were headed to the hospital to see if there was anything we could do and saw you, so…" Masato said, continuing the uncomfortable and forced dialogue.

"The dance team – well, minus Kari – decided to make a get well soon card while we were over at my place last night," Kira said, pulling an envelope out of the inside pocket of his heavy overcoat.

Davis blinked and then made a face as he caught the strong whiff of perfume coming from the card as he took it. Ken looked more amused than disgusted, but Ataru – who was using the two younger teens as a buffer between himself and the basketball players - wore an identical expression to the burgundy-haired soccer player.

Kira's lips twitched in amusement. "Don't ask me what they wrote in it," he said, "but I really doubt some of it has a G-rating or would be parentally approved."

Davis suddenly had a strong urge to take a peak when he noticed another red car coming toward them. He nudged Ken next to him and nodded toward it.

"Sora," he said.

Ken nodded. "We should head back."

"You guys can come if you want," Davis said, looking from Ataru to the basketball players. "We're just gonna have lunch and then head back to the hospital to sit with TK some more."

"We don't want to intrude," Masato said, "as much as I love free food. Give TK's mom a hug for me and tell our best player to get better. I still need his help on pretty much every essay assigned to me."

"Tell Matt to take care of himself, and all of you do the same," Kira added, looking from Davis to Ken before clapping Ken on the shoulder. "I know you're all worried about TK, but you gotta take care of yourselves too."

"The glory is all his," Shinji said, finally speaking up. "As soon as he's better, he can have his position back on the team, and you won't hear another complaint out of me for the rest of the season. Later."

Davis and Ken watched the three basketball players climb back into Shinji's car and drive off.

"Well, that was awkward," Ataru piped up, giving a slight shake of his head. "I'd better get going too. Call me if you want me or any of the team to come over later. I mean it."

After a hug for both Davis and Ken that was a lot less bone-crushing and awkward than the one Masato had given Davis, Ataru grabbed the roof of his car and used it to pull his legs up so that he could get through the open window and into the driver side. Davis and Ken stared at him funnily as Davis grabbed DemiVeemon off of the hood of the car. Ataru grinned.

"I broke the door; haven't had a chance to get it fixed yet," he explained.

"Two words, Kai: New Car."

"Two words, Motomiya: No Money."

"Later," Davis and Ken muttered together, and they managed to actually find a smile – however briefly – as they moved to start heading back toward the Ishida apartment.

x X x

Lunch was uncomfortably silent as nobody really seemed to know what to say. Even Mimi and Yolei were not making any further attempt to lighten the mood. As much as Mimi hated fighting with Matt, at least that had forced people to actually talk. Well, not people, just Matt, but it was definitely better than this tense, worried silence. But even Mimi knew that going around promising that everything was going to be fine and attempting to force Matt to relax was not something that people needed to hear. It would probably just cause more people to get frustrated, one way or the other, and so the pink-haired girl was left at a loss of what to say instead. So, silence seemed like the best avenue to take.

Yolei had been handed several things by her mother and father when they visited the convenience store as lunch items, and though Sora tried to paid for it, they had been ushered away by the Inoue adults. Mimi didn't question it, and the food actually was rather good, but she knew it would have tasted better if everyone were in better spirits. Not for the first time, she wished that none of this would have happened.

_Why couldn't TK have just focused on writing? _she thought, knowing that it was a futile and somewhat childish thought.

When the meal was over, most of the kids helped Nancy clean up while Hiroaki disappeared for a cigarette and Matt disappeared into his room. A little bit of conversation managed to spark during the cleaning, but the voices remained hushed and uncertain as if afraid to upset those that still looked beyond dazed.

"I'm worried about him," Sora whispered to her.

The pink-haired girl looked up and followed the redhead's gaze. She was staring at Matt's closed door, and she gave a small sigh and a nod in response.

"Me too," she admitted. "I don't even want to think about what if…"

"Then don't," Sora said sharply before her expression softened and saddened. "I _can't_ even think about that."

"Then it's a good thing that it's _not_ going to happen," Mimi said, not wanting to upset her best friend, "right?"

Sora smiled softly and nodded. "Right."

Nancy left shortly afterward, stating that she had something she wanted to pick up from her apartment for TK. Izzy offered to go with her, and Cody and Yolei ended up tagging along as well, stating that they should probably check in with their families when they had the chance. The four said they would meet the others at the hospital.

Mimi finished cleaning the plate she was working on before she placed it in the dish drainer and turned to head toward Matt's room. She lifted her hand to knock on the door and stopped when she heard Matt's voice from inside.

"…I know there will be other concerts, but I'm still sorry," Mimi could hear Matt saying. From the pauses between his sentences, she knew he was on the phone talking to someone. "…Yeah, I know Takashi is going to murder me for ruining his chance to show off to Nako, but he'll just have to get over it… I know you were just kidding. Don't worry. I know Takashi has a heart. I think. You? I'm still debating that one… I'll tell him for you. Tell the others thanks for being so understanding. I just can't even think about… Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow to let you know how he is. You too. Bye, Yutaka."

When she heard him say _bye_, Mimi knocked lightly on the door. "We're heading back to the hospital."

Matt had his door open in a flash and was pushing past Mimi to go down the stairs.

x X x

Nancy and Kari were the first two to take their turn going back to see TK once they had arrived at the hospital. As everyone else settled themselves into the now very familiar Visitor's Lounge, Nancy walked with her son's best friend since childhood down the hallway to the set of doors marked _Intensive Care Unit_. They had a brief introduction with the new shift of nurses on duty and then Nancy stepped into TK's room.

One of the nurses had gotten an extra blanket for him and had seen that he was tucked in properly. They had also removed the endotracheal tube and had replaced it with a partial rebreather mask that was supplying him with a steady flow of oxygen. Patamon did not look like he had moved at all. Nancy moved one of the two chairs around to TK's right side, and she set her purse down on the ground beside it. Before she sat down, she leaned over TK and touched her hand against his face.

"Hey, TK," Nancy said, "I brought something for you…"

Kari was standing silently on the opposite side of the bed from her, looking down at TK with sadness and the weight of the world on her shoulders. Nancy bent down and kissed TK's cheek and then settled herself into the chair before pulling out the book that she had retrieved from home. Her eyes shone for a moment with the threat of tears that she blinked away before she could open the cover.

"_Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ by J. K. Rowling," she read and turned the page. "Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived."

"Kari?"

She glanced up from the book toward Kari before hesitating. Gatomon, who was in Kari's secure hold still, was the one who had spoken as she watched her partner with concerned eyes. The girl had not moved from simply staring down at her best friend since they had entered the room. She was not even sure that the younger girl was even aware that she or her partner had spoke at all.

"I hope you don't mind…"

Kari blinked and looked up at her before giving a shake of her head. She managed a small smile as she seemed to suddenly realize what book was in Nancy's hand.

"Not at all. I love that book…" She glanced back down at the blonde before adding, "So does TK."

Nancy smiled and opened the book back up. She waited until Kari had settled herself into the other chair by TK's bed before she began to read again. Gatomon settled down onto the hospital bed and moved to join Patamon on the pillow, though the orange digimon seemed to hardly notice at all. Kari lowered the metal bar on TK's left side and carefully took her best friend's hand into her own. Nancy felt like she accomplished something as she noted the bare hints of a smile on the girl's face as she began to read the book in her hand. This was the same book (and its subsequent sequels included) that she would bring out whenever TK was sick until he got too old and began to argue that he didn't need his mother to read to him anymore. But she hoped that maybe, just maybe, there was some healing magic in it, which might help TK recover faster.

"_Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. _

_Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. _

_The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband was unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that. _

_When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair. _

_None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window. _

_At half past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and back out of number four's drive…"_

Nancy continued to read the first chapter of the book to her son, Kari, and the two digimon present to the soft soundtrack of hospital machines.

"_He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery. _

_He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying. _

'_The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard—'_

'—_yes, their son, Harry—'_

_Mr Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it."_

Nancy noticed Kari's eyelids getting heavy as she continued to read. Eventually, she saw them slide over her exhausted eyes and her body slowly slump forward so that she was resting her head on her arm on the bed next to TK's uninjured hand. Nancy didn't stop her reading to disturb her. Gatomon seemed almost relieved to see this reaction out of her partner. She probably had been just like Matt, unable to sleep out of worry and probably intent on stubbornly staying awake tonight as well. She needed rest. Nancy continued to read, turning pages as she verbalized the author's writing.

She got to the part where Dumbledore arrived and began to talk to the tabby cat that turned out to be one Professor McGonagall in which they had discussed the mysterious happenings that Mr Dursley had been noticing all day. She read McGonagall's appalled reaction to Dumbledore's explanation that Harry would be staying with the Dursley's followed by Hagrid's appearance with baby Harry. Finally, she arrived at their tearful goodbye to the baby and the description of the following morning when Mrs Dursley would find the baby on her doorstep. Wizards toasted to Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

Nancy was just about to start chapter two that picked up ten years later on Dudley's birthday where it was revealed how dreadful poor Harry's life had been when the nurse paused in the doorway. Nancy marked her place in the book and set it in the chair. She held up a finger to her lips to indicate Kari was sleeping and stepped out to speak to the nurse. All the nurse wanted to tell her was that the doctor would be by in about an hour to speak to them about TK.

x X x

Kari hadn't stood a chance. Her lack of sleep after an exhausting night that was preceded by an exciting game and dance practice added to the last several emotional hours she had endured had caught up with her. She had tried so hard to keep her eyes open while she held onto TK's hand and Nancy Takaishi read the book.

_I bet it's not a real cat!..._

She remembered TK saying that the first time Tai had read the book to the two of them when they had been nine years old. She could remember TK's blue eyes shining with excitement as he sat, cross-legged, next to her and enraptured in Tai's words. Matt had looked amused a few feet away while he toyed with his harmonica, and Kari had been torn between watching the boys in the room and actually enjoying the story.

_Told ya!_

That was the thought Kari dozed off to. Her body slumped forward and sleep washed over her.

"_So I just have to stick around until I somehow wake up?"_ Kari thought she heard TK's voice say as she began to drift towards sleep. His voice sounded clear, like he was right next to Kari, and a warmth that she usually associated with TK's presence wafted over her like a gentle breeze.

"_I guess so. You should be safe, unless you start to have a nightmare,"_ Kari heard a young boy's accentuated by its childish qualities say.

She heard TK give a small chuckle. _"I'll try not to have any nightmares, though wouldn't that be good? It might scare me awake._"

"_It might, but remember what I told you, TK? You can die here. If you have a really bad nightmare and you die in it, you don't get scared awake… You die in truth. I don't know how, and I wish I did, but you need to find a way to wake yourself up. What? What is it?"_

"…_Kari?"_

Kari jerked awake with a start and a small gasp and swallowed hard.

"Kari?" Gatomon asked, sitting up straighter to stare at her partner uncertainly.

The chocolate-haired girl pressed a hand to her chest. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. Nancy Takaishi's soothing voice reading that book and her exhaustion had just won out. For a heartbeat there when her eyes had been closed, she thought she'd heard TK talking and him calling her name.

"I'm alright, Gatomon," she answered finally. "Just didn't mean to fall asleep."

Kari gave TK's hand a squeeze and then stood up. Nancy was just outside the room speaking to one of the nurses.

"I'll be back, TK," she promised, "but I'm going to let someone else come see you while I get something to drink. C'mon, Gatomon."

She reached forward and picked up the cat digimon in her arms, sparing a moment to gently run her fingers over Patamon's back in a comforting gesture. Her eyes lingered on TK's face for several moments before she finally left the room. She nodded quietly to Nancy and the nurse she was speaking with and walked to the double doors leading out of the ICU.

Nearly to the doorway, a sudden chill overcame Kari, nearly making her drop Gatomon. She froze, her fingers and toes turning to ice as if she had just dipped them into snow. Her chest grew tight, and she felt like if she breathed, she would be able to see her breath leave a foggy trail. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she spun around, expecting someone to be standing there, reaching out for her. The hallway was empty save for the nurse and TK's mother.

"Kari?" Gatomon whispered worriedly.

_What was that?_ she wondered frantically.

The sensation faded just as quickly as it came, but she got the strangest feeling that it wasn't gone. It had just moved on. Moved forward. Her amber eyes landed on the door to TK's room. She had a sudden urge to run back and make sure he was alright, but she tried to push it away. She was being irrational. She was just worried.

_Get a grip of yourself, Kari!_

"It's just hard to leave his side," she muttered back to her digimon finally.

It wasn't totally a lie, but she couldn't help wondering why she felt the urge to make her refreshment break as short as possible so that she could get back to TK's side.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon, because I do not support slavery. Now, if you were offering me a _partner_ digimon...

**Author's Note**: Welcome to another lovely 24th of the eighth month of the year. I hope you all are having a lovely day! And I hope you all enjoy the latest installment here of BB. Things are finally starting to happen. Aren't you excited? I know I am! Thank you to everyone for all of the lovely support and reviews these past eight months, and I hope to see even more. But even more than that, I hope you all...

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

"Who's Kari?" Calumon asked as he picked up one of the blocks from the pile on the floor and began to study the letter _B_ carved on one of its six sides. He looked up at TK with those bright jade green eyes of his.

"My… friend," TK said, standing up.

He frowned as he stared at the spot in the corner of the room. It was just him and Calumon in the room now, but for a second there, he had seen a vague image of Kari. She had been blurry, as if she wasn't fully here, but it was definitely her. It reminded him of the day she had nearly disappeared during math three years ago, and he wasn't sure if that worried him or excited him. But seeing her, even for that briefest of moments, made him realize the gaping absence of having any of his friends around, especially Kari who seemed to always wash him with a soft light whenever he was in her presence.

His cheeks tinted pink as he nearly slipped up at the word _friend_. It was such a simple slip, and he wasn't even sure if Calumon understood the difference between friend and more than a friend, but just the fact that he had nearly said it aloud was enough to make his tongue feel tied for a second.

_Now, she might never know how I feel_, he realized.

TK blinked away the sudden threat of tears.

"For a second there," he continued, "I could have sworn I saw her here. Or… almost here."

Calumon looked around curiously and shook his head. "I didn't sense any change."

"No, I know it was her. I've seen that before," TK said, still staring intently at the corner of the room as if trying to summon her back but nothing was changing. He gave a small sigh and glanced in Calumon's direction who was giving him a slightly disbelieving look. "It's hard to explain. Let's just say that the World of Dreams hasn't been my only cross-dimensional travel, and it hasn't been hers either."

"Well, if she was here, she's not here now," Calumon said easily, bouncing over to the bookshelf and starting to pull random books off to look through them. "You need to concentrate on waking up before something bad happens."

TK gave a frustrated sigh. "What am I supposed to do? Meditate? Go back to sleep?" he asked, gesturing toward the bed.

Calumon just shrugged.

He resisted the urge to groan in frustration and instead just moved to sit on the bed before laying back. Maybe sleeping here would actually wake him up in the waking world. It was a really farfetched theory. After all, the last time he had encountered the World of Dreams, it had taken Davis very nearly actually slapping him to wake him from the dream, but he had already realized that pain – at least in small amounts – didn't work. And he had already been shocked out of the reality of the dream since he knew none of it was real. That didn't leave him with a whole lot of options.

TK closed his blue eyes and attempted to relax so that he could drift off to sleep, but he quickly realized that he simply wasn't tired. No matter how long he laid there, he felt no signs of himself starting to drift off. He was comfortable, sure, but none of the usual signs of sleepiness were showing itself. He gave a disappointed sigh as he opened his eyes and saw the strange cartoon animal mobile hanging over his head still.

_This isn't working_.

"Does TK stand for Takeru?" Calumon asked suddenly.

TK turned to look at the digimon and realized that he was looking in some book. The blonde moved to sit up before giving a small nod.

"Yeah, why?"

"Takeru Ishida?" Calumon said.

"No," TK said, moving to stand, his eyebrows rising as he heard that name. "Takeru Takaishi."

"Oh," Calumon said, giving a shrug. "This book says Ishida. Wonder why?"

The basketball player walked over to the digimon and reached down to pick up the book he was looking at. There were several printed lines on the page that had _Takeru Ishida_ written over and over again in a childish handwriting as if someone had been practicing writing the name. TK flipped the book back to its cover and slowly sank to the floor as the picture registered in his head.

"I know this book," he whispered, running his fingers over the cartoon elephant that decorated the cover. "My mom used to get me these coloring books all the time. In the back, they would have blank pages for you to practice your letters… And I'd practice my name… Takeru Ishida."

"I thought you said your name was Takeru Takaishi?" Calumon asked, confused.

"It is," TK confirmed. "But before my parents' divorce, it was Takeru Ishida… I'd just gotten it perfect… Figured out how to write it just like a big kid… when my parents separated. My mom threw out all my old books and got me brand new ones so that I could practice writing my new name… Takeru Takaishi."

"Your name changed because of something your parents did?" Calumon said sounding almost incredulous. "That's silly."

"Yeah, it is," TK said, almost smiling. He dropped the book and looked around them. His eyes were misting up again, and this time, he wasn't sure he could stop it. "I know where we are… This was my family's apartment back in Highton View Terrace… I was so young when we left, I didn't even recognize it at first… But it was the last time we lived together as a family." He leaned back against the bed and brought his knees up to his chest. He shook his head as he wiped at his eyes. "Why'd I have to dream this?" he whispered.

"I don't know," Calumon answered hesitantly. "Everyone dreams something different."

_I thought I was over this_, he thought angrily. He ran a hand through his golden locks before moving to rest his chin on his knee, wrapping his arms around his legs. Great. Not only was he stuck asleep in a world that could potentially get him killed, he was stuck reliving old desires and dreams that he thought he had finally put to rest. Of course, he knew that reacting this way was a sign that he was definitely not over it, and deep down he had always known that. How many times had he looked at Kari, thinking that this time was the time he would finally tell her, only to hear a dark voice in the back of his head whisper, _What if…?_

Sometimes he wondered if Matt heard it too. Sometimes he wondered if that was why Sora and Matt hadn't lasted. Not that he didn't think Sora and Tai were good together, because he knew they were perfect for each other. He wasn't blind. But his brother could have any girl that he wanted, and yet he was single more often than not. Surely there was a reason?

So lost in his thoughts, TK barely noticed when a somewhat shocked and frightened look crossed Calumon's face and a shadow fell across them.

_Shadow…?_ TK realized, _But…_

He hadn't seen a single shadow since he'd been here. The hairs on the back of his neck were rising, and the temperature in the room seemed to suddenly drop several degrees. He felt as if something tight was starting to settle on his chest. It was worse than the feeling of being watched that he had been aware of the whole time. This was very different and far more alarming. Calumon backpedaled a few steps before stumbling backwards.

"What's going on?" TK asked, jumping to his feet.

"I don't know! This isn't normal," Calumon said, trembling and running to hide behind TK's leg.

"This isn't just a nightmare?" he said, just to be sure.

"Not a normal one!"

He had expected that response, so without missing a beat, he bent down and scooped Calumon in his arms before he went running from the room and out of the apartment. Something was coming, and he had the most unsettling feeling that it was coming for him.

x X x

Yolei Inoue was tied in third for when she received her D-3 at the exact same time as her good friend Cody Hida. Being nearly three years older than the boy sometimes made their friendship seem impractical, but Yolei had always found Cody to be far older than his age. In return, he had never judged her; not for her glasses, looks, smarts, or even her sometimes crass attitude. Because of this, she would always be grateful for Cody's friendship.

When TK had moved into their building, she wasn't sure what to make of him. He had seemed friendly enough, but she figured that he would probably drift into some popular crowd and forget about her and Cody. She had been very pleased to note that things had not turned out that way, and she had even entertained a crush on him for about a month before she eventually just banished that thought all together. No, she saw the way that Kari looked at him. This was before the two girls were even that close, but Yolei was never that type of girl. Had it not been for TK and Ken, she might have never become close to Kari at all.

Yolei loved all of the digidestined, but sometimes she couldn't help but feel the most grateful for TK's friendship. She felt like running into TK on the elevator that fateful morning had sealed her destiny far more than surfing the net on the right day ever did. And it came down to more than that, too. TK was a fantastic listener, whether he was listening to her as she ranted because she and Kari had another disagreement or because Davis was being a jerk or because she didn't know how to convince Ken to just go ahead and _ask her out already!_ And to make the guy even more perfect, if that was possible, he wasn't even aware of how amazing he truly was when it came down to it.

The lavender-haired girl was the bearer of the Digi-egg of Sincerity, so she liked to think of herself as sort of an expert on the subject. And TK? His humbleness was definitely sincere. It baffled her, as it baffled many smitten girls at their school, but she knew it was also what made the Child of Hope special.

So, here she sat in the Visitor's Lounge with TK's father and most of the digidestined while Ms Takaishi and Kari were back with TK. She had picked up a book from her apartment earlier that she was pretending to read, staring blankly at the pages until the words began to blur together making her go vaguely cross-eyed. That was what she had been spending most of her time doing. She had no idea what the book was even about; she hadn't read a single word of it yet, which wasn't a good thing since she had a report due on it for class by Monday.

Sora and Mimi got up to step out to the restroom or maybe to go get something to drink. Yolei turned another page in her book to keep up the appearances of actually reading it. Ken cleared his throat next to her and when she looked up at him, he gave her a look. She wasn't fooling anybody, least of all her boyfriend. Yolei gave a sheepish smile, and he reached over to grab her hand, giving it a small squeeze in comfort. She squeezed his hand back gratefully.

Yolei looked away from Ken when she saw who was standing in the doorway. Kari nodded in her direction and Yolei closed her book, without marking the page, and handed it to Ken before picking up Poromon. It wasn't like she needed to remember where she was in the silly thing anyway. Hiroaki started to get up too and then sat back down when he saw her standing.

The bespectacled girl blinked and started to sit back down. "It's okay, Mr Ishida, you can go back and see him…"

TK was the man's son after all.

"It's okay, Yolei," Hiroaki said, turning to continue his conversation with Izzy.

Yolei looked at him uncertainly and then walked towards the door. She gave Kari a tight hug, nearly crushing Gatomon and Poromon between them, before walking past and turning down the hallway to walk into the ICU, preparing herself for seeing TK again.

When Yolei walked through the doors of the ICU, Ms Takaishi was finishing a conversation with one of the nurses. Yolei walked towards TK's room and gave a sudden shiver as she stepped through the doorway that she realized wasn't completely related to how unsettling it was to see her friend in this position. Poromon looked up at her with confused eyes.

"Is everything okay, Yolei?" he asked, worried.

Yolei blinked and shivered again. "No, Poromon, it's not," she answered honestly as she moved toward the chair by TK's bedside. "But really, it's just a little chilly. That's all." She pulled her sweater tighter around her as she moved to set Poromon down next to Patamon and smiled at the digimon. "Hey, Patamon," she greeted. "How's he doing?"

Patamon looked up at her with beady tired looking eyes. "The same," he responded quietly before returning his gaze to his partner's face.

Realizing that he didn't really want to talk, the purple-haired girl lapsed into silence. Ms Takaishi joined her a minute later and took her seat.

"I hope you don't mind, Yolei, but I've been reading TK his favorite book," TK's mother said as she lifted the book to show off the cover.

Yolei couldn't help but smile a bit. "That's fine, Ms Takaishi," she reassured her, moving to curl her legs under her while she looked at one of her closest friends lying in the hospital bed. She pursed her lips together, looking at him as an oppressive sadness came over her, and she wondered if this was just the effect of being in the ICU or if everybody feels this way when they see someone they care about hurt.

x X x

An hour later, just as the nurse had said, Dr Kinjo stopped by to speak with Hiroaki and Nancy. The news wasn't exactly what they had been hoping to hear. Hiroaki knew that he was not alone in hoping that the doctor was going to say that he expected TK to wake at anytime. Instead…

"During the shift change, we performed a simple test on your son to measure his responses through the Glasgow Coma Scale or GCS," he started.

"I'm sorry, what?" Nancy snapped, getting tired very quickly of all of these words and phrases that made no sense to her.

"What does that mean?" Hiroaki continued, further expanding on her question.

"We tested eye, verbal, and motor responses in reaction to a painful stimuli."

"What sort of painful stimuli?" Nancy asked quickly, clutching her hands in front of her.

"We simply applied pressure to his fingernail bed. Further tests would have had us either applying similar pressure to his brow ridge or sternum, but the bruising to his face and the fractures to his ribs stopped us from doing that," he continued.

"And?" Hiroaki prompted. "What did you find out? Is he going to wake up? When?"

"The lowest score one can receive on a GCS is a three and the highest is fifteen. Anything under eight shows signs of a severe brain injury." He hesitated for a moment. Hiroaki steeled himself, realizing that the news was not good. "Your son had a score of seven. In my experience, patients with that low of a score do not usually wake up."

Hiroaki wasn't quick enough to catch Nancy before she hit the floor, but he knew it wouldn't have done any good anyway for moments later, his own knees gave out beneath him.

"No…" he whispered. "TK…"

x X x

How they got through the rest of Saturday, Tai will never know. After everyone heard the news, everything else just passed in a blur. Everyone continued to dutifully take turns going back to see TK, armed now with the knowledge that there was quite the large chance that he wouldn't wake up from his coma. Tai felt ill. He wanted to scream at someone, find Number 37 and beat it into the coward's skull exactly what he had done. He wanted to rewind time and forbid his surrogate brother from playing the game. He wanted to put himself in his place instead; then at least TK would be okay.

Matt went straight into his room with Tsunomon when they got back to his apartment without even saying goodbye to any of the other digidestined. After having heard from his father that TK might not wake up, he hadn't spoken a word to anyone. Tai was worried for him even through his nearly suffocating worry for TK. He didn't have to think too hard to try to figure out how Matt must be feeling, because he knew. He didn't have to think; he just knew. As irrational as it was, Matt was blaming himself. Tai was blaming himself, too, and TK wasn't even his brother.

It could have happened to anyone. A sports accident could have happened to anyone on the team. Only this wasn't an accident. That too-small-and-disgusting-to-be-called-human _thing_ from the other team had done this intentionally to TK. Tai's jaw tightened angrily even as his eyes filled with tears.

"UGH!" a yell came suddenly from beyond the closed door, making everyone still present jump.

_Crash!_ The sounds of broken glass quickly followed.

"Matt!" Hiroaki called, worriedly, already halfway to his son's room.

"It's fine!" Matt's voice shouted back. "I'll clean it up!"

Tai looked around the living room. It had never looked so depressing to him before. He turned toward Sora whose eyes were locked on the blonde's door, filled with worry. He swallowed thickly and reached out for her hand.

"I'm going to stay with Matt tonight," he said quietly. "Can you take Kari—?"

"Kari, why don't you stay with me tonight?" Yolei's voice broke through Tai's question.

The bushy-haired teen sighed. "Even better," he muttered, turning to look at his sister.

If she looked bad this morning, it was nothing compared to right now. Her face was pale, and she looked practically sickly. Tai wanted nothing more than to remove the memory of this information from her, but he knew that he couldn't do that. He couldn't do that to either of them.

"Kari, go," Tai urged when his sister hesitated.

She looked up at him for a moment before giving a small nod. "Okay, Tai," she whispered.

Everyone was pairing off, not wanting to be alone tonight, and Tai couldn't blame a single one of them. A part of him still felt like he was moving slowly through a dream. Any moment he would wake up and this would all just be some terrible nightmare. He ran a tired hand down his face before he moved past Hiroaki and Nancy without looking at either of them. He wasn't sure he had the strength to see the looks on their faces.

Quietly, Tai opened the door to Matt's room. The blonde was methodically picking up the remains of a shattered picture frame. The scratches and blood droplets on his knuckles told the Child of Courage that his friend had obviously punched it in a sudden burst of rage. Tsunomon was watching his partner from the bed with watery worried eyes, but he was remaining dutifully silent. Tai took a page out of his book and said nothing; instead, he just moved to help him pick up each piece, one by one, by hand. At least it gave them something to do. Something to occupy their thoughts instead of letting them roam into the unknown.

After thirty minutes, one trashcan was filled with glass, one hand had been bandaged, and one picture of the blond brothers had been salvaged. Matt stared at the picture for several minutes before he moved to flop onto his bed to stare at the ceiling. Tsunomon hesitated before moving closer to him and nuzzling the side of his face. Matt made a strangled sound in the back of his throat as he suddenly moved to hug his digimon to his chest. Tai picked up the picture where it had been dropped to the floor.

x X x

_Thirteen-year-old Tai pushed open the door to the room that he shared with his little sister and, starting today, he would be sharing with his best friend Matt and his little brother TK. The brothers were staying with the Kamiyas for a week during the summer as a way not only for the brothers to keep in touch but as a way to keep in touch with their mutual friends. It had taken a bit of planning and a lot of promises, especially to his parents, but Tai had finally managed to break them down to allow this little get together to happen. Originally, he had only asked for Matt to come, but Kari had wanted to see TK, and he had realized what a brilliant idea it was. After this morning, Tai imagined that Matt had the opposite view. _

_Matt was the only one in the room, and he was awake. He was lying on the bottom bunk, which was technically Kari's, but he wasn't going to call his friend out on it right now. The blonde was laying down, his back to him, and Tai winced at the obvious silent treatment he was receiving. His mother had cheerfully told him that Matt had arrived when he returned back to the apartment with Kari and TK in tow. He wasn't exactly sure what he had done already to tick off his best friend, but he knew from experience that it probably was something he was going to end up apologizing for. _

_Stepping into the room, Tai shrugged himself out of his jacket and dropped it where he stood, not bothering to hang it up. The bushy-haired teen found that he really didn't know what to say. Usually, it was easy to apologize if he had some idea of what he had done, but this time he was perfectly stumped. Matt didn't say a word. He rolled onto his stomach, under the covers, doing his best to pretend to be sleeping. Tai sighed and crossed over to the bed to stare down at the blonde with an unimpressed look. _

"_I know you're not asleep." _

_Still, Tai's best friend stayed quiet. _

"_Can you give me a little hint?" he begged. "I'm sorry that I got you a comb for your birthday. I know it was lame." No response. That wasn't it. "I'm sorry that I forgot to give you back your brown gloves. I know they were your favorite." Still nothing. Must also not be it. "I'm sorry that we weren't here when you got here?" Not expecting a response, Tai blinked when Matt suddenly shifted. _

_Narrowing his eyes, Tai moved to lay on the bed next to his best friend. He was forced to the very edge with Matt taking up most of the middle. The Child of Courage laid on his side so that he was staring at the back of Matt's blonde head. _

"_I've got to say, you've achieved a new level of maturity today, Matt. The silent treatment. I think I used that on my parents when I was, like, seven," he said, trying to goad something more out of his friend. "What do you want me to say? We knew you weren't going to be here until much later, and Kari and TK were bored. I didn't get anything for TK for his birthday, so I thought it was a good idea." _

_Tai saw Matt shift further away from him, but he couldn't see his expression with his face practically buried into the bed sheets. _

"_Will you just say _something_ to me?" Tai asked. _

_Matt simply shifted further away from him. Tai sighed and rolled onto his back with newly given space and stared up at the bottom of his bunk where Kari had tacked on several photos from their time in the Digital World. He smiled and shrugged. _

"_Fine. You don't want to talk to me, I'll just talk to myself." He raised his hand and began to point to each figure as he began to name off the digimon as they came to mind. "Agumon. Gabumon. Gatomon. Patamon. Biyomon. Tentomon. Gomamon. Palmon. Andromon. Elecmon. Gennai-"_

"_You're a jerk," Matt's voice interrupted Tai's recitation of the digimon in the picture. _

_Tai rolled back onto his side to look at the back of his friend's head. "He speaks." _

"_Why'd you even invite me over here, Tai?" he asked sharply. _

"_Because I wanted to spend time with my best friend!" Tai said immediately. "Look, I'm sorry we weren't here. I really thought we'd get back before you arrived. I didn't mean to make you have to deal with Mom's cooking or whatever happened while we were gone that got you so upset—"_

"_That's not why I'm angry," Matt snapped. _

"_Well, then why?" Tai sighed. "And it'd be nice if you would look at me while accusing me of being a lousy friend." _

_For a moment, there was silence before Matt finally turned over to look at him. His blue eyes were cloudy with emotion. "Why'd you have to take him to that movie, Tai?" he finally said. _

_Tai blinked. "Emperor's New Groove? He wanted to see it. Look, I looked into it before we went. I even took Kari! There was nothing bad in it, I promise. I know better than to take TK to a bad movie—"_

"_That's not why I'm upset, Tai," Matt said, glaring at him. "I… I was going to take him to see it." _

_The brunette's eyes widened. "He didn't say anything." _

"_He didn't know," Matt muttered. _

"_I didn't know, Matt! I _couldn't_ have known," Tai pointed out. "You can't be mad at me for that." _

_The blue-eyed boy hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh. "I'm not," he admitted. "I'm… I just couldn't get him a birthday present either, and this was the only idea I had. I thought this week would be the perfect time to do it…" _

_Instantly, Tai felt guilty. He always took his relationship with Kari for granted. She was always just right there, and he always got the chance to see her on her birthday or on his birthday. He never had to worry about schedule conflicts or school or having to cross a bay just to say hello. Sometimes, he forgot how disconnected TK and Matt really were; they certainly didn't act like it. Not anymore. _

"_Don't worry, Matt," Tai said, sitting up and punching his fist into his palm with determination. "I'll help you come up with a new plan. Just you wait—"_

"_Matt!" TK's voice from the doorway suddenly cried. "You're here!" _

_A second later, the young nine-year-old was launching himself onto Kari's bed so that he could hug his big brother. Matt gave a slight grunt as the dead weight landed on him, but the grin on his face was genuine as he hugged him back. _

"_Hey, kiddo," he said brightly. "Yeah, I got here while you guys were gone." _

_TK moved so that he was sitting on top of his brother as he looked down at him, grinning from ear to ear. "Matt, we saw the coolest movie! It was so funny, wasn't it, Tai?" _

_Tai withheld a wince at the chosen topic by the younger boy, but he nodded anyway. "Hilarious," he added on, but his eyes were on his best friend as he watched him worriedly. _

"_We should see it again!" TK announced suddenly. "You'll come this time, won't you, Matt? It's not the same without you…" _

_Matt blinked, surprised. "A-again?" he repeated. _

"_Yeah! You'll love it! It's really awesome. Please, Matt, please. Please. Please. Please." TK punctuated each pleading word with a slight annoying hop on his stomach, causing Matt to grunt from the continual changes in pressure on his bladder. _

_Tai caught TK's eye and found himself smiling. TK knew exactly what he was doing. A glance toward the doorway showed Kari standing there with her usual knowing smile, and Tai realized that TK had definitely overheard their conversation. He didn't want his brother to feel bad, so he was pushing the idea to see the movie again. He was smarter than he looked, that was for sure. _

_Unable to resist, Tai grinned widely before jumping onto Matt as well. _

"_Ah! Tai! Don't! You weigh a thousand pounds," Matt grunted out, breathless from the weight on top of him. _

_Tai ignored him as he started to echo TK's words. "Please, Matt, please. Please. Please. Please. Please!" _

_TK continued to grin widely as he continued his mantra. "Pleasepleasepleaseplease—"_

"_OKAY!" Matt shouted, finally giving in with a slight laugh. _

_Tai rolled off triumphantly, giving Matt the opening he needed to flip him and TK so that he was on top as he began to suddenly tickle the younger boy mercilessly. Young, childish squeals of laughter began to fill the room as TK squirmed, trying to get away, as his brother continued to tickle him. _

"_Ah! Stop! Tai, help me!" TK pleaded through his laughter. _

"_Help… who?" Tai said innocently, looking over at his best friend. "Help Matt? Okay!" _

"_Nooo!" _

x X x

Tai closed his eyes for just a second, trying to will away the sudden tears. He felt his throat getting tight. He was wondering if he was ever going to hear TK's bubbling laughter again. When he opened his eyes, he had to blink away the moisture shining there. Burdened with the thoughts and fears that TK might not wake up again, Tai felt silent tears beginning to leak down the side his face. He stared down at the picture for several more moments before he finally had the courage to set it down on Matt's desk. He turned back toward his best friend, unable to be strong for him.

Matt stared back, tear tracks already on the blonde's face. Tsunomon wasn't much better. They were blurry in Tai's vision now, but he could see well enough to know that there was really nothing that could be said. He walked over to the bed, and they both laid back, not bothering to worry about sharing a bed. It wasn't like they were going to sleep anyway.

_But_, Tai figured, _TK is getting enough sleep for the three of us._


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon, and, no, I still do not own Harry Potter either.

**Author's Note**: Jumping jellybeans! Nine wonderful months have flown by since I posted my first chapter, and it's been a blast. I am so excited to get everybody's reactions to this particular chapter. I consider it one of my gems, but because of that, I'm also ultra fearful of the reactions! So, be gentle? Haha. I'm sure all of you will remember a scene in here, and I hope I did it justice by putting it into words from pictures. You also get to finally the Big Bad (or is it...? Dun dun dun!), so that's pretty exciting!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

TK looked over his shoulder as he ran through the maze of buildings, alleys, and side streets. His sneakers pounding against the pavement and his heavy breathing were the only sounds amongst the eerie silence. The feeling of being watched had expanded exponentially. He could see the shadows still growing, still following him. Calumon gave a shudder in his arms, and TK ripped around another corner only to come face to face with a wall of darkness. Tendrils of darkness were lifting out of the ground and the surrounding shadows, reaching for him. TK spun around to go back the way he came but saw the exact same thing behind him as well.

He was trapped.

_Matt! Patamon! Help me!_

The clicking of heels against concrete pavement cut through the silence and filled TK with dread. Calumon gave a small sob of fear. Slowly, the blond turned toward the sound and found himself face to face with a woman who took his breath away but not for good reasons. She was taller than the high school basketball player, and her intimidating aura just made her seem that much taller. Black leather boots went up to the woman's mid-thigh and gave way to a bikini bottom. She wore a hood that was a dark gray that might as well have been black and attached to her bodice that laced up the front in a form fitting figure. Her bodice also had elbow-length sleeves with her shoulders protected by rusted bronze-plated armor. The bodice opened at the waist and had a train that trailed after her like a cloak.

She didn't look like she should be standing in the middle of the streets of Japan (as his dream world seemed to be based off of), more like maybe in the middle of some fantasy novel, but everything about her radiated that she belonged here. No, that was wrong, it was the opposite: this place belonged to _her_.

Silver wavy hair peeked out the front of the hood and trailed down the side of her face and down her chest with strands of beadery woven throughout. Her eyes, which were the most haunting thing about her, were surrounded by smudges of black, giving her raccoon eyes, which just accentuated the silver of her irises, which shone like two full moons. There was no innocence there, only a bottomless pool of frigid, icy knowledge that made TK realize that this woman was far older than she appeared and probably (definitely) not human.

TK had no way of explaining the illogical fear that caused his heart to pound faster in his chest. She hadn't even done anything to warrant it. A handful of cryptic and albeit creepy imagery that reminded him a bit too much of a cliché villain should have made it almost hard for TK to take her seriously, especially with the other threats that he had faced in the past. Only, TK did take her seriously. Very seriously.

He swallowed, finding that his mouth had gone unexplainably dry. Calumon was in his arms, no long shivering but no doubt frozen in fear instead for the woman that stood before them. TK took a step back, but a quick glance over his shoulder revealed that he had nowhere to run anyway. Vaguely, TK realized that even the unseen eyes that had been following him since he had "woken up" here had fled.

The woman was watching him so intently that TK could not help but wonder if she was looking right through to his soul. He suddenly felt very exposed and vulnerable, but he realized there was nothing he could do. She slowly moved to approach him, and TK couldn't take his eyes off of her even to blink. Walking didn't quite describe her movements. It was more like floating. He felt like he should at least ask who she was, but he didn't think he would be able to find his voice even if he wanted to.

Seeming to read his thoughts, the woman stopped in her advance to simply look at him. "I am Nocnitmon," she said in a voice that sent shivers down the blonde's spine. "Now, your turn, Child of Hope… What is your name?"

Calumon suddenly broke free of TK's hold to jump out of his arms and move away. TK wanted to yell after him not to leave him, and he broke his line of sight away from the silver-haired woman to watch the digimon lookalike's movements. Calumon ducked behind a nearby park bench but didn't move any further. Now, TK felt the opposite, wanting to urge the creature to get out of here, but his voice was still lost. Calumon clung to the back of the park bench's leg, shivering, as he watched the woman, Nocnitmon, with a mixture of dread, fear, and… familiarity?

TK looked towards her again and took another step back, nearly tripping over the curb behind him. The street was growing darker with each passing second as it began to fill with shadows. Somehow, Nocnitmon was no longer being swallowed by them, as if by will alone she was allowing (forcing?) TK to continue to look upon her even as the darkness continue to leak in. TK took a step to the left to try to put himself between Nocnitmon and Calumon; what good it would do, he didn't know, but he felt like he had to protect him.

"Come now. Don't try to act brave," the woman said with a touch of a warning. She wasn't coming any closer to him; she was merely watching them both with her moonlit eyes. Something about that look sent another set of shivers up and down his spine.

TK must have taken another step back without even realizing it, as a second later, Calumon was back and tugging desperately on his ankles. The little white creature didn't say a word, but the urgency in his gesture said more than enough. He needed to get them out of here. TK swept his blue eyes up and down the street, trying to find a way out, but everything seemed to be getting swallowed by the darkness.

_Not good,_ he thought, backing up more and causing Calumon to do the same.

"Surely you know how to speak?" the woman inquired with just the faintest hints of amusement. Her black lips were twitching into a sinister smile. The shadows continued to darken, obscuring even the street they were standing on. The woman was closing in on them again anyway, but the shadows made the idea of trying to get past her all the more intimidating.

"Who are you?" TK whispered.

A single eyebrow rose. "Nocnitmon," she repeated before continuing, "unknown type, unknown level. Not a digimon… but not _not_ a digimon, too. You can just think of me as your nightmare." Her eyes flickered lower toward Calumon. "Calumon. Unknown type, unknown level. Not a digimon… but not _not_ a digimon as well." Her eyes returned to him. "And then there's you."

Something about the way she said that made TK realize that, at the moment, he suddenly didn't want to be him. Anyone else's identity probably would have been peachy right about now. He didn't allow those thoughts to overwhelm him, though, and he instead forced himself to find his inner fire once more as he looked through the darkness at the intimidating woman.

"And then there's me. What do you want with me?"

_Patamon… Where are you? I need you!_ he thought frantically, wishing not for the first time that his partner was right here by his side. Calumon was still clinging to the back of his leg, and his little paws were trembling against him now. He needed to calm down. He knew he did. If this world was of his own creation, or mostly anyway, then he should be able to remember a safe way out of this, a safe place to go. But this wasn't the real world, and she wasn't just a normal human being. Who was to say that there actually was a safe place somewhere here? A sinking dread started to fill TK as the silver-haired woman continued her slow, gliding approach.

"It has nothing to do with what I want," the woman said, gliding closer. "It's all about what _he_ wants, and you seem to be at the top of his list. I don't ask why; I simply comply. I'll give you a chance to hand yourself over calmly and quietly. There's no reason to make such a fuss. Just come with me, and I'll leave your little friend alone."

"If you think I'm going to just go with you then you're going to be severely disappointed," TK said.

From the inky black shadows, tendrils of darkness suddenly shot out and descended upon Calumon, wrapping around his small body and lifting him up in the air. The digimon was forced to let go of TK was he was pulled away, crying out in alarm and fear was he left dangling in the air, attempting to fight against the darkness that held him.

"Calumon!" TK shouted, turning to try to reach Calumon and get him away from the darkness that seemed to suddenly want to swallow him up.

He was being pulled further into the black mass. "TK!" he cried out, desperately.

TK turned to glare at Nocnitmon who was watching the whole scene with a dispassionate look. She shook her head sadly. "I did warn you that you should come with me while my offer stood…" she paused and then smiled, "…TK."

The world around TK rippled and even Calumon vanished from his view. He panicked for a moment before a hazy sensation drifted over him like a fog. He blinked and took a sudden step backward as he saw Ikakumon getting lift off of the ground by Devimon before being thrown into Kabuterimon who had managed to return. They both went crashing to the ground. He gave himself a little shake. He had spaced out during the fight while his brother and friends were getting beaten left and right! They were losing! He took another terrified step backwards, but he didn't even know where he would go even if he could get his legs to actually work instead of freezing up on him.

"Oh boy," he bemoaned, shakily. "There's nobody left! What do we do, Patamon?"

As if hearing him, Devimon suddenly turned in his direction. "Now, to get rid of you. Then, I'll have nothing to fear!" He paused as he seemed to study the two of them almost curiously. "They say the smallest will destroy me, but I'm not going to let that happen!" Then he grinned and suddenly moved to reach for him. "Don't move. Make it easy on both of us."

TK cried out in fear as he backed into the wall behind him, pressing his back into it as far as it could go, but there was nowhere for him to run. He could practically feel the darkness coming off of Devimon's hand in waves as it neared him, and he held his breath in an attempt not to drown in it. Suddenly, Garurumon came out of nowhere, knocking Devimon's hand to the side.

"TK, _run!_" Matt screamed as he ran toward him.

Garurumon wasn't alone either. All six of the champion digimon were leaping onto Devimon, grabbing onto whatever they could get a hold of, trying to keep him still while TK tried to stumble away. But he hadn't even managed to stand yet when Devimon let out an explosion of darkness. He was ripped off of his feet and sent hurling back into the rock face he had just pushed off from. His vision swam in front of his eyes, and he collapsed to the ground.

_Maybe if I just lay here… He'll think I'm dead and leave me alone!_

The dreadful waiting was too much to bear, though, and a moment later, he forced himself to lift his head so that he could see what was going on. Instantly, he felt terrified tears starting to spring in his eyes as he saw Devimon looking right at him with a hungry glare.

"_Matt!_" he screamed.

"You will be mine!" Devimon declared.

He shifted his gaze toward his brother who laid several feet away from him and looked just as shaken as him. Their eyes met, but TK didn't feel reassured. Matt looked terrified, covered in sweat, his body slightly shaking from pain.

"Hey," he whispered just loud enough for TK to hear. "Get ready to run."

_Run? Run where? Devimon can see the whole island being that tall!_ TK squeezed his eyes shut in fear, not knowing if he could listen to his brother's advice. Beyond not knowing where he would go, his legs felt like jelly and every muscle in his body ached. He lifted his head again, and his eyes widened once more as Devimon's claw reached out for him. Patamon suddenly leapt into the air.

"_Pow!_" he cried as he threw a boom bubble at the claw. _"Pow! Pow!_"

But it wasn't even making Devimon flinch. TK started to scramble backwards away from the hand, but he was getting nowhere fast. He was terrified; beads of sweat were running down his face. He raised his hands above his head, trying in vain to protect himself from the demon in front of him.

"Patamon, help!" he cried, desperately.

"I'll save you, TK!" the little rookie yelled, throwing himself in front of his partner.

The orange digimon disappeared into Devimon's grasp, and TK's eyes widened in horror for a second before, suddenly, light was pouring out from cracks in the demon's fists.

"_What!?_" Devimon gasped as his hand was forced open.

TK watched in awe as the light rose higher and higher in the sky. It made the freezing cold and dread that was oozing from Devimon fade as the light grew brighter.

"Patamon digivolve to… Angemon!"

Once again, TK felt his breath leave him, but this time it was for a much different reason. He stared up in shock at his digimon. The fear he had been feeling moments before seemed to dissipate with Angemon's shining light, leaving only goodness and hope. Suddenly, it didn't seem to make much sense to be afraid anymore. It was like having his own personal night light.

"I want to take him home with me," he declared.

Angemon was better than a night light.

"What's this? Another foolish attempt?" Devimon asked in contempt, but TK could not help but notice that he didn't sound nearly as confident as before.

"The forces of good are more powerful," Angemon said, his voice just as radiant as the light he was giving off. "Even you can't stop us."

_He's super cool._

"I'll destroy you, and bring peace to the island!"

So focused on watching his digimon, it took TK a second to realize that his digivice was doing something strange. Light started to pour out from it into Angemon's staff, and his digivice wasn't the only one doing it either. All seven digivice began to glow, pouring their light into Angemon, making the angel shine even brighter than before. Devimon began to shrink away from it, growling angrily as the light continued to shine.

"That light is so bright! What are you doing to me!?" he growled. "Stop it! I won't allow you to take my power away! You'll have to fight me!"

"I'm afraid I have no other choice," Angemon said solemnly, twirling the staff over his head. "If I can help others, my fate is unimportant!"

TK knew immediately that those words didn't sound good to him. "Angemon!" he cried, suddenly very worried.

"Your powers have gotten far out of control and must be extinguished!" the angel digimon continued, not responding to his partner's cries. "I am ready to fight for peace."

Ogremon's data shot out from Devimon's chest, but the pure light from Angemon's staff caused it to rebound, separating the digimon's data from Devimon once more. The staff dematerialized, storing all of the light and power into Angemon's fist. TK watched all of this with growing trepidation. The calm that overcame him with his partner's digivolution was fading, leaving behind only pure worry.

Worry that this had happened once before. Worry that this wasn't going to end well. He _knew_ this wasn't going to end well. He wanted to scream for Angemon to back down, give up, just let it go, _anything_, but all he could get out was…

"Be careful!"

Angemon shot a look over his shoulder. "I'll get him. Relax."

_That's not what I'm worried about!_ he thought, balling his hands into fists. _Why_ couldn't he warn him!? He knew something bad was going to happen. The knowledge was right there, on the cusp of his mind.

"Come here, pretty boy!" Devimon mocked, as he moved to grab the angel out of the sky.

_I don't want to see this_, he realized. But he couldn't tear his eyes away.

The digimon didn't even flinch. "I'll stop you," he promised, before rearing back his glowing fist and punching it out with all of his strength. The light shot out from his hand and tore through Devimon's chest, exploding out his back and encasing the entire island.

TK was blinded, unable to see a thing amongst the blinding light.

_No… No, no, no… Angemon…_

"You used up all your power," Devimon pointed out. "That wasn't very smart, Angemon. Now, you are no use to anyone!"

TK wished he could see. He didn't like the sound of that at all. His eyes were squeezed shut against the blinding light as he tried to force his eyes to adjust. He knew what was happening, though. He knew. He couldn't quite grasp onto how he knew, but he knew it wasn't good. And he knew he had to stop it, but he didn't know how. And a part of him knew that he was already too late.

"You can't get away from the dark forces. Evil is everywhere, so don't savor your victory. There are other digimon who are just as powerful as I am. Some of them are even stronger! I wonder what you'll do when you run into them. You haven't won at all! What a waste of time!"

Devimon burst into maniacal laughter. By the time TK had managed to get his eyes adjusted to the light and look up, the demon digimon was gone. He almost cheered until he saw his partner. _No… _There he was, just as TK knew he would be, half gone and dissolving like sugar into water. _No…_ He stared in horror, somewhere between fully understanding what was happening and having a childish inability to grasp what he was seeing.

"Angemon!" he gasped.

Tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. No, no, no… _No…_ this wasn't happening… this wasn't supposed to happen. Not like this. Not again. Not _again_. He was disappearing right before his eyes, a little bit of data at a time, vanishing into the air. Not Patamon, not Angemon…

"TK," Angemon said quietly, weakly. His voice sounded faint as if it were fading. "I'll come back again… if you want me to…"

A sob fell past TK's lips as he began to shake his head in protest, tears falling down his cheeks. No, no, no… No… The warm glow was fading along with Angemon's light. He was leaving him… He was just going to leave him…

_Not again!_

"_ANGEMON!_"

TK gasped, jerking upright from where he had fallen to the pavement in the throes of the nightmare. His hand twitched to reach forward for a digiegg that wasn't there, and his fingers wrapped around a pile full of pure white feathers instead. He knew instinctively that they weren't Angemon's, but the effect was more than enough to cause his breath to hitch. He backpedaled on the ground away from the woman. TK's heart was thundering now as he stared at Nocnitmon in horror. Calumon had apparently been released by the darkness and was now on the pavement, staring at TK with tears in his eyes and worry on his face.

_I can't do this alone… I can't do this alone… Who was I kidding? I can't do this at all… I can't… Pull yourself together! Do something! Anything! MOVE!_ He had to listen to his inner dialogue over the pounding of his heart.

The shadows that had formed were practically black now, swallowing everything up, everything except for Nocnitmon. She stepped up to him, staring down at him with those silvery orbs of hers, making him feel very small at that moment.

"You should have just come quietly," she remarked quietly.

TK wished Patamon was here. Digivolution was tied to emotions, and, well, TK had emotions to spare right that second. He would have gladly lent Patamon all of the excess he could give if it just meant that his best friend was here to help him out of this. Out of instinct, his hand went to his pocket, blindly trying to grab for his digivice, but as he already knew, it wasn't there.

Nocnitmon reached out to grab him. The absolute shock that flooded her face as she went flying across the street and into the hard pavement told TK that he was not the only one that hadn't seen that coming. Golden light was suddenly breaking through the darkness, and the mere force behind it had been enough to knock Nocnitmon completely off her feet. For a second, TK thought the omnipresent light had returned until he realized that the source of the light was… himself.

He looked down at his hands in shock. They were glowing a strange but comforting golden color. In fact, his entire body was radiating with the same warm light. It was beyond surreal, but TK didn't take the time to think about it. He glanced toward Nocnitmon for a moment before he leapt to his feet, gathered Calumon into his arms, and ran forward towards the deepening shadows to run past the still recovering digimon.

_Don't think, just run! _

As TK and Calumon stepped into the shadows, he felt as if he had just been plunged into freezing cold water, and he held onto the warmth of the light, hoping it was strong enough not to let them drown.

x X x

Yuuko Kamiya stood at the sink in her kitchen Sunday afternoon, attempting to wash the dishes from lunch. Tai and Kari hadn't come home last night, not that she was exactly surprised. Since Friday night when she received the call from Jun Motomiya about what had happened, she knew that Tai and Kari wouldn't exactly be able to focus. Their life revolved around their friendships, and TK was one of those bodies that had become a constant in her children's lives ever since they had been young. She had thought… She had _hoped_ that everything would just turn out alright… But this…?

They didn't have to be here for Yuuko to know that Kari hadn't slept again last night. Tai either. Yuuko knew it instinctively from the sluggish tone in her daughter's voice when she had called that morning before they headed back to the hospital for another round of visits. Tai's red rimmed and tired eyes when he had peaked in just ten minutes prior had given him away. She and Susumu had tried to sit down and speak with him about everything that was going on and how he and his sister were handling it. Tai had ended up asking if he could just get back to Matt and the others so that they could be together. She had let him. Now, he was back with the rest of the digidestined, probably brooding just as much as the rest of them.

The mother of two caught her lip between her teeth and choked back a whimper. She let the dish in her hand slip back into the soapy water and rested her hands on the sink to hang her head forward. Yuuko knew that when it came down to it, considering how much danger her children and the rest of the digidestined were almost always in, it was a miracle that they had never lost anyone before. She prayed that they would never know that kind of loss, though she sometimes realized that she was probably being naïve to think that just because all of the kids managed to return didn't mean that the digimon – the good ones – had escaped with the same fate.

But this? No matter what her children had seen in a world that she would never be able to fully understand, she knew that this was completely different. Yuuko had only been able to watch her son's retreating back as he walked out the door with the tragic knowledge that she didn't know a single thing to say to him to make it better. She didn't know that it _would_ be better.

"Oh, what are we going to do?" Yuuko whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and suddenly Susumu's head was resting on her shoulder, his cheek nuzzling against her. "There's nothing we can do, except try to be there for them."

"But I don't know how!" Yuuko gasped softly, near tears as she absorbed the comfort from her husband. "One of their best friends is in a coma… And Tai and Kari… Oh, Kari… I can't help them deal with it, because _I_ don't know how to deal with it. Tai's trying to be strong for all of them, but he's so close to a breakdown, and Kari's not dealing with it well at all, and… Oh, Nancy… She must be a wreck! And I don't know what to do. I feel like a failure as a mother and a friend."

Susumu's arms tightened supportively around her waist, and Yuuko felt the warmth of her husband's own helpless sigh before he gave a small shake of his head. "You are not a failure as a mother or a friend, Yuuko. Whatever else you think, whatever else you need to say, don't ever start to believe that. We all just need to learn how to deal with this as we go… We all just need to support each other. We… _They_ will get through this, and we'll figure out how to help them."

"I don't know if I can," she whispered, salty tears finally finding their way down her cheeks. She felt Susumu draw back from her slightly in surprised, and Yuuko trembled.

"Yes, you can," he said strongly, and she could feel his stubborn gaze on the back of her head. "You can, because I know you, sometimes even better than you know yourself."

"But I don't know what to _say_," Yuuko wept. "I just keep thinking… thank god it wasn't Tai… thank god it wasn't Kari… God, I'm a terrible person to say that!"

She turned around and leaned against her husband, desperately trying to draw strength from him, as she always had been able to in her times of need. His strong arms wrapped her in an embrace of such tenderness and his head rested atop hers. "Shh…"

x X x

"_I can't believe TK's going to turn 15 tomorrow," Nancy said, slipping into the seat across from Yuuko. "I keep hoping that I got the date wrong." _

_Yuuko gave a laugh as she set her teacup down. "I felt the same way with Kari. I don't know where the time's gone." _

"_I keep thinking that things are going by so fast," the blue-eyed woman said thoughtfully. "Too fast." _

"_Before you know it, we'll be getting wedding invitations to Kari and TK's wedding," she laughed as she picked up the teapot and refill her friend's teacup. _

_Nancy did not seem to even notice. She grinned at the comment and leaned back into her seat. "One of them will have to come clean before that happens," she pointed out. _

"_I think it will happen," Yuuko said optimistically. "I think even Davis has caught on by now."_

"_TK is still as oblivious as ever," she said fondly, "or he's pretending to be anyway, and Matt is just staying out of it." _

"_Wise choice. I think Tai is trying to pretend that Kari is still eight." _

_Nancy turned slightly in her seat so that she could reach out and pick up her tea. She ran her fingers over the flower print of the cup before smiling up at her friend. "I can't blame him. I like to pretend the same thing with TK every now and then." She sighed again. "Fifteen!" _

"_It's just another birthday," Yuuko offered. _

"_And Matt's turning 20!" Nancy continued as if she didn't hear her. "Oh, I feel old." _

"_Hey!" Yuuko said, nudging the other woman's leg with her toe under the table. "You can't say that. Our kids are the same age." _

"_Doesn't it ever get to you?" _

_The brunette considered the question for a moment before giving a small shrug. "Sometimes. But life goes on, and I, for one, think that our kids – both of our kids – are growing into remarkable people. And just think about what the future holds!" _

_Nancy gave her a skeptical look. "Like?" _

"_Like wedding invitations," she said teasingly. "And grandkids! And watching them make more mistakes than we can count while they try to become adults." _

"_Can't we just skip to the good parts?" the blue-eyed woman asked, but the smile on her lips told Yuuko that she was joking. _

"_What would be the fun in that?" _

x X x

"And now Nancy might not be able to see TK do any of those things." Yuuko's tearful voice was muffled against Susumu's chest. Her hands clutched at his back as she let out soft sobs. "And I just… I can't help it… But I know… I know it doesn't matter… Because Tai and Kari are broken all the same… They may never be the same again… Oh, Susumu, I should have never sent Tai to camp seven years ago, then maybe he would have never met the other kids, and then none of this would be happening."

Susumu took a hand to cup the back of her head, running his fingers through her hair. "Yuuko, you know that if you hadn't sent him, our world and the digital place where his friend Agumon lives might have been destroyed. Either that or destiny would have found a way to get them involved anyway. Look at Kari; she didn't go, and she still found her way to Gatomon."

Yuuko's head moved side to side against Susumu's chest, a silent protest against his logical words. Susumu held his wife tighter. She was waiting for the phrase that she really did not want to hear right now to leave his lips – that this must have happened for a reason. For years, destiny seemed to follow her children, and she had to say that she was sick of it. So, she was grateful when he made no attempt to try to comfort her with such a silly phrase. Though, a small part of her was using that exact phrase as a small source of hope. There had to be a greater purpose for this. After everything else those kids had been through, she couldn't bear to think what would happen if it weren't. She was pretty sure that if they lost TK, he would not be the only casualty.

Susumu was not done speaking, though. "Yuuko," he said, gently lifting her chin so that he could stare into her amber eyes. "You know both Tai and Kari love being digidestined. Look what they've been able to accomplish! You know that we could have never stood in their way even if we wanted to. And they've both become such stronger and better people for it. Would you really have traded all of that?"

"Yes," Yuuko's emotion-cracked voice said with fake firmness. "To keep them from having to go through this? Yes, Susumu."

Susumu looked at his wife skeptically. "Even if it meant Tai never grew up into the man we see before us today, never knew what true friendship was about from Matt, never felt true love the way he does with Sora? Even if meant that Kari never grew into the confident young woman she is, never learned how to speak her mind from Yolei, never learned how to stay optimistic from TK? Even if meant that they were both left to be miserable?"

Yuuko's lower lip quivered and more moisture gathered in her eyes as she looked up at Susumu. She wanted to tell him, with all certainty, that yes, she would take all of that back if it meant them not having to deal with this tragedy, but she couldn't lie to him. With a shaky breath, Yuuko leaned against Susumu and very softly said, "No… no, I want them both to be happy… I want them all to be happy…"

x X x

Joe slid two dollars to the guy in the hospital cafeteria for the cup of coffee he'd gotten and walked away from the counter. He was so tired. Two nights of restless sleep filled with worry was starting to catch up to him, and he was fighting not to let his exhaustion win out. He'd lost count how many cups of coffee he had ingested. He didn't even really like coffee, but it was a necessary evil at the moment. He walked past a mirror and winced at his appearance. He wasn't as nearly bad off as Matt, but he was pretty close. His dark blue hair was unkempt, his cheeks were red and puffy, and his eyes were red-rimmed with dark, haggard shadows hanging beneath them. The stress and worry was taking a toll on everyone.

He turned to walk out of the cafeteria, taking a sip of his coffee, and sucked in a breath in pain as he bumped right into someone, and the hot liquid spilled down the front of his shirt. "Ow!"

The doctor-in-training just barely managed to hold his tongue from snapping out something else unnecessarily harsh and out of character. He blinked when he lifted his eyes from the dark stain on the front of his light blue shirt. He wasn't sure who he had expected to see standing there in front of him. Some stranger. Some jerk who didn't have the sense to look where they were going. One of the doctors around this place who he was trying very hard not to blame as they claimed that there was nothing more they could do to help TK. He had to remind himself that it had probably been mostly his fault, since he was the one too tired and too caught up in his emotional thoughts to pay attention.

The blue-haired man standing in front of him winced. "I am so sorry. I… Joe?"

Joe's frustration over the fact that he was now wearing his coffee instead of drinking it faded. "Jim?" he asked with a surprised look. "What are you doing here?"

Jim Kido was his older brother by a couple of years. He was the first person in the family to follow in their father's footsteps of becoming a doctor until he decided to leave the medical world behind to take a different path. After witnessing the events seven years ago, he decided to join Haruhiko Takenouchi in researching the Digital World. Though he graduated from being Haruhiko's student two years ago, he continued to work with him in Kyoto. The last time Joe saw him was several months ago during the summer break, and here he was now, seemingly out of nowhere without any prior warning. Joe's sleep-deprived mind was having a hard time keeping up.

His brother laughed in surprise as he gave a small shake of his head. "I'm here to see Dad. What about you? Don't tell me you have an internship already?"

"No, uh…" Joe gave a small shake of his head, trying to clear the fog from his lack of a good night's rest. "I mean, I do, but it doesn't start until the spring." He paused. "I thought Dad was in Osaka until next week?"

"The director of the college fell suddenly ill, so the conference was ended early," Jim explained as he gave his brother a rather worried look. Joe's appearance was finally starting to register in the researcher's mind. "Didn't you get Dad's call?"

"My phone's been off, because I've been here," the younger Kido explained with an exhausted sigh. Realizing that he never answered the previous question, he continued, "TK got hurt in the basketball game Friday night. It doesn't look good."

"The little kid?" Jim asked for clarification. "The one with the older brother?"

Joe's lips twitched slightly. "He's not so little anymore, but… yeah. Him."

Jim gave him a sympathetic look for a moment. "Well, have you told Dad? Maybe he can take a look, see if there's something more he can do. He is the best doctor in the country."

"So they say," he muttered, but he had a thoughtful look on his face as he turned toward the closest trashcan and dropped the now mostly empty paper cup into it. "I'll see if I can catch him before he leaves."

"I'm actually on my way to find him after I grab a drink. I'll send him your way when I do. His name is Takeru Takaishi, right?"

Joe nodded.

"I'm sorry about your shirt and your coffee," he offered suddenly. "Let me get you another one."

The younger man waved him off. "Don't worry about it. I probably have too much coffee in my system anyway. I hear it's not good for you."

Jim smiled slightly. "Really? I wonder who told you that," he teased for a moment before realizing that Joe didn't appear to be in the mood. "I'm sorry to hear about TK. I'll drop by later to see how he's doing. Give his family my regards."

Joe tightened his jaw for a moment as he thought about Matt and TK's parents, the looks on their faces, and then cleared his throat so that he could speak without his voice breaking, "I will. Bye, Jim."

"Bye," Jim returned, moving toward the cafeteria's line.

Joe shook his head as he walked out of the cafeteria. Had he really been so disconnected these past two days that he didn't know his own father was back in town? He ran a hand through his hair with a slight groan. Maybe it wasn't just TK's family that was falling apart; it seemed his friends were having trouble keeping it together too.

x X x

Nancy turned another page in the book so that she could continue reading. Matt was back in his seat on the opposite side of the bed, dutifully holding his brother's hand. She was so glad that no one was expecting him to drive anywhere. She had witnessed him nearly walking right into a closed door earlier, and the last thing she wanted was a repeat of the incident last year even though that time had not been his fault. She didn't dare say any of this to him, though; it would only make him upset and probably cause him to be more stubborn about it.

He could barely keep his eyes open, and the worried mother could see it. At this rate, driving or not, he was going to end up in the hospital too. She blew out a breath and continued from the book. It was one of TK's favorite moments when the troll was released in the school, which forced Ron and Harry to finally become friends with Hermione.

"_It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside. _

_Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. _

'_Confuse it!' Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall. _

_The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went. _

'_Oy, pea-brain!' yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it. _

'_Come on, run, _run_!' Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. _

_The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. _

_Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped—it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils."_

Matt was looking from his brother to the beeping monitor that showed the younger boy's vital signs while Nancy read. She followed his gaze and her reading trailed off. TK's pulse rate had started to speed up, and she looked worriedly toward him with as much worry as Matt had. The golden-haired teen's pulse continued to race faster, causing the beeps from the monitor to come more rapidly.

Patamon blinked and sat up further, looking between the two conscious occupants in the room. "What's going on?"

Matt looked toward his mother, a quiver of fear in his voice, "…Mom?"

Nancy didn't know. It scared her that she didn't know what was happening or could be causing her son's pulse to skyrocket out of control like that. One of the nurses stepped into the room in response to the change in TK's vitals. Matt didn't want to leave TK's side, but the nurse motioned him away as she leaned over the younger teen to check him over. The nurse was checking to see if there was some misreading in the machines by checking TK's pulse herself, and Nancy didn't like the worried frown that the woman wore when she did that.

"What's happening?" Nancy asked with a finger tucked in the book, marking the page she'd been on.

She watched in worry as the nurse reached up to adjust TK's IV. As the nurse was reaching to increase it, TK's pulse began to drop back to normal on its own. The nurse drew her hand back and stepped back.

"I'm sure everything is fine, Ms Takaishi," the nurse said. "I'll speak with the doctor about it."

"Could it mean he's waking up?" Matt asked. He had moved over next to his mother while the nurse was checking TK, but now that she was backing up Matt was moving back toward his spot.

"Why did his pulse begin to race like that?" Nancy asked the nurse.

The nurse frowned. "I actually don't have an answer for you, I'm afraid. But it's dropping back to normal now. It may have just been a dream he was having, or a response to your voices. I'll mention it to the doctor, but I wouldn't be worried about it. If you need anything, I'll be right outside."

Nancy and Matt watched the nurse notate something on TK's chart and then she stepped out of the room. Matt sank back into his chair and took TK's hand back into his. Nancy could see more worry in her eldest son's tired blue eyes.

"…She didn't answer my question…" he mumbled.

Nancy moistened her lips and then weakly smiled down at the pages of the book. Maybe it was just the book, and he was hearing her. When TK had been little and she read this part, even when TK was sick, he would sit up on the edge of the bed, grinning feverishly. Well, if it was working, she wasn't going to stop.

She continued reading Ron's heroic actions followed by the arrival of the professors, and once Matt had calmed down from his momentary leap of worry mingled with hope that had been on his face, he exhaustedly rested his arms on the side of TK's bed and lay his head on them. He was still holding TK's hand. Nancy could see Matt's eyelids getting heavy again when she looked up between paragraphs.

"_They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from everything else. _

'_We should have gotten more than ten points,' Ron grumbled. _

'_Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's.'_

'_Good of her to get us out of trouble like that,' Ron admitted. 'Mind you, we _did_ save her.' _

'_She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her,' Harry reminded him. _

_They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady._

'_Pig snout,' they said and entered. _

_The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said, 'Thanks,' and hurried off to get plates. _

_But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them."_

Nancy stopped her reading again when she heard the soft sounds coming from her exhausted child. He was asleep, with his head leaned on TK's hospital bed. She smiled sadly at him.

x X x

TK panted as he looked around them. He had run as far and as fast as he could go, letting his instincts lead the way until they finally broke through the darkness. He wasn't sure when the strange glow disappeared from his body, but now he stood just on the edge of a place that always brought him great warmth. Primary Village. And Nocnitmon, nor her creepy shadows, were anywhere to be seen. He finally allowed his arms to relax so that Calumon could fall gently to the ground as TK walked over to the closest oversized baby block and leaned against it before sliding down into a sit.

"Where are we?" Calumon asked with wide amazed eyes.

"Primary Village. The Village of Beginnings. It's a place in the Digital World. I must have put it as part of my world as… a safe haven of sorts. I've always felt safe here," TK explained.

Even if he hadn't always been safe here, it was true. Calumon was looking around the area with a dropped jaw and confused eyes. TK lifted his head from where it was leaning against the plush block to stare at the creature for a moment, trying to understand the bizarre expression on his face.

"Calumon," he said gently. "What is it?"

"I… I remember this place. I've been here before."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. No, sirree, I do not.

**Author's Note**: Confession time! For the longest time, I did not like Davis. That's the truth. When I first saw 02, I remember thinking that, gosh, this kid is really annoying, and TK should have just been chosen for leader! I mean, seriously! What were the creators thinking!? And then I started to read fanfiction... and it didn't any. All of the Daikari stories that I would brave into always made TK this terrible villain... and I love TK (shocking, right?), so I started to dislike Davis even more by association!

And then I came across Broken Angel01's fanfiction collection, and... she just really started me on the path of enlightenment that eventually led me to loving this guy. And, so, for any of you Davis-haters out there who would like to see the light, I encourage you to go read her stories. And the moment in this chapter with Davis just really highlights why I think that canon Davis (and not just her "version" of him) really is an amazing character. Anywho, enough preaching...

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

TK sat up and stared at Calumon.

"I've been here before," Calumon repeated.

"What do you mean?" he finally managed to whisper back. "When?"

The blue-eyed boy stared at the little creature with wide eyes, unwilling to tear his eyes away for the moment. He hands were braced in front of him in an attempt to keep them steady. He knew that if he raised them now, his hands would be shaking visibly. Not only did he have no idea of what to do now, but the vivid image of Angemon fading from existence, one data particle at a time, was attempting to resurface in his mind. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to block it out. Closing his eyes was a mistake. It caused the image of Devimon reaching for him hungrily to play on the back of his eyelids. How could she have known about that? How?

"I'm not sure…" Calumon's childish voice broke into the boy's thoughts, and he opened his blue eyes to look at him. He was standing a ways in front of him, in the middle of the foamy bouncy tiles that made up the flooring of the village. His ears were retracted in a confused solemnity as he looked back at TK with those soulful green eyes. Eyes that were staring at him with a sense of clarity beyond this dream world that TK had not yet seen from the digimon. "…but I know I have. How could I have?"

"Maybe you are a digimon," he said softly. He used his shaking hands to push him back to his feet so that he could cross toward the little white creature. _Angemon was disappearing right before his eyes, a little bit of data at a time, vanishing into the air._ TK shuddered.

Calumon tilted his head as he watched him come closer before giving a sigh and plopping down himself. "I don't remember being a digimon."

TK sunk down onto the plushy floor to sit down next to him as he stared out across the empty village. It was so quiet and rather sad looking without all of the digi-eggs, cradles, baby digimon, and especially Elecmon wandering around. "You could be," he said, not feeling so certain. "All Digimon are born or, uh… reborn here. If you know this place, it's possible this is where you were born."

He was quiet for a moment. "You're a Digidestined, aren't you?"

TK quickly looked at him. "How did you—?"

"I know a lot of things," he said to his unfinished question. "Dreams give away a lot, and there are Digidestined all around the human world. You know about digimon and the Digital World, so you must be. And that's the reason you were able to fight against Nocnitmon… how you were able to counteract her with your light…" Calumon wasn't looking at him; he was simply staring off into space as he talked. "Maybe I am a digimon…"

_My light…?_

"You know Nocnitmon, don't you?" TK asked, watching him.

Calumon blinked up at him. "She's like me. A being that lives here in the World of Dreams… Maybe she's a digimon, too. I don't know. But she's much stronger than me… She can manipulate the dreams that people have… turn them into nightmares… make them relive nightmares…" He gave an unhappy shiver.

"How many of you live here?"

He adopted a thoughtful look. "Only us two as far as I know…"

"Why didn't you warn me about her?" TK asked, trying very hard not to sound accusing.

"There are millions of dreams going on all the time," Calumon explained. "Why would she come after you?"

TK froze. "I… don't know." He was quiet for a moment as he stared off thoughtfully, hugging his knees to his chest in an effort to keep the shivers at bay. "And yes, I am a Digidestined, but I don't know how I did that… light thing."

"But it got us away from her," Calumon said.

"How long will that last?" TK asked. "I don't know if I could do it again."

Calumon lifted his shoulders. "I don't know."

TK put his face into his hands and sighed. He needed to think, come up with a plan of action. He tried not to think too hard about how much easier this would be if Cody, Yolei, or even Davis were here. Kari would keep his head straight; Ken would offer interesting insights. He wasn't totally helpless in the planning department, but having to relive that day had brought up so many feelings of hopelessness and helpless insecurities. Of feeling like the useless, youngest digidestined that everyone had to watch out for all the time. It was hard to think, to focus.

"I really wish I remembered more about this place… so I'd know where we could go to hide…" he turned to look at him. "Can't you just leave? You said you could hop from dream to dream, right?"

"Yeah…" Calumon said. "But I don't want to leave you alone."

_I don't want to be alone either… _He tried to give a smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. _Think, TK. Think… She could be coming right now… _He wished Matt were here…

Sudden movement out of the corner of his head caused TK to jump to his feet, startling Calumon with his suddenness. He stood, frozen, in a ready position until his eyes registered the strange static that was forming into the shape of a person. _Kari?_ If Kari were here… Before TK could even finish his thought, the vague shape took form not into Kari but Matt.

_Matt…_

Calumon gave a squeak and ducked behind TK's legs, but his hiding place was suddenly gone as the basketball player took off in a sprint. "Matt!" he gasped out just moments before he was throwing his arms around his brother's frame.

He felt Matt startle sharply in his embrace, and he pulled back to stare into his brother's face. Matt's blue eyes were so like his own and yet completely different. Whereas TK's eyes would fade into a sickly green when things weren't right, Matt's faded into more of a painfully steely gray. And those were the confused eyes that were staring down at him right now with the fog of dreaming hanging heavily over the older blonde's face.

"Matt…?" TK ventured uncertainly.

Calumon, realizing that the new person was a friend, managed to tiptoe his way over to the two brothers. He stared up at the stranger for a moment before announcing sadly, "He's dreaming, TK."

"So am I!" he retorted sharply, holding onto his brother's arms desperately. He had to hear him, recognize him. He _had_ to.

"Yes, but you're aware," Calumon explained slowly. "I don't know why he's in your world or why he's here, but he's stuck in his dream. He won't remember this when he wakes up."

"He has to!" TK said frantically. "Matt, please!" His brother continued to stare through him with those unseeing gray eyes. "Matt… Come on…" he trembled, as fearful and helpless tears gathered in his eyes, "…I'm scared…"

He collapsed forward against his brother's chest, pressing his forehead against his shoulder as tears leaked down his cheeks. So, he was really alone after all. Even his brother, who was standing right here, couldn't help him. He held onto front of Matt's navy blue sweater, afraid that if he let go, he would not be able to remain standing.

_What am I going to do…?_

"T… K…?"

TK gasped and jumped back from him, afraid for a moment that he was hearing things until he saw the color returning to Matt's eyes. Matt blinked a few times as recognition set into his face and the signs of dreaming left completely. Without missing a beat, Matt grabbed TK into a tight hug.

"I thought I was dreaming, but it _is_ you," Matt said shakily as he pulled back to look at him only to pull his little brother against his chest again. It was if he didn't want to let him go, not that TK minded. He was starting to get the impression that he might not have this opportunity again, to talk with his brother, hug him, but now he was here – _completely_ here – and he could feel his hope starting to return.

But after a moment—"Matt, not that I'm not happy to see you, too… but I can't breathe!" TK protested, finally trying to swat him away.

"I've never been so happy to hear your voice," the older blonde admitted happily.

Matt was grinning and a shine of moisture glinted in his blue eyes as he finally pulled back again to get a good look at his brother. He ruffled TK's mop of golden hair and cupped a hand on the side of TK's face, looking at him with teary eyes. TK blushed, feeling like he was eight years old again and had just returned from being kidnapped by Puppetmon, and pulled back from his brother's grasp in confusion.

"What's the matter with you?" TK asked. "You're acting like you haven't seen me in weeks."

"I'm just so happy to see you awake," Matt said, his smile slipping as he seemed to finally spot the tear tracks on TK's face. He reached up a hand to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but TK swatted his hand away and shook his head. Matt frowned.

"I'm fine," TK said quickly, even as he knew it wasn't completely true. Even now, he was fighting to keep his fear and the horrible memories at bay. "No time to explain."

Matt looked uncertain, realizing even more now that those tears had more to do than just being happy to see him again. His attention was drawn away from his brother, though, as he noticed movement down by their feet. His eyebrows furrowed. "Who's that?" he asked, looking at the little white creature who was moving to hide behind his baby brother.

"Matt, this is Calumon… Calumon, this is my big brother Matt. Matt, I need your help," TK said, keeping the introductions short. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he had the distinct feeling like he didn't have a lot of time. Quickly, he gave Matt a very short summarized version of the World of Dreams.

"Wait," Matt interrupted suddenly. "Is this why you're in a coma?"

TK started. "Coma? I… I'm in a…" He shook his head, trying to throw the information away. "Matt, I don't know, but we need to focus. I don't know how much time we have before Nocnitmon finds me again. She… I… Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant introduction that we had."

TK shivered back thoughts of the worst day of his life as they threatened to flash all over again. It still woke him up every now and then in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and ever since that day, he hated the darkness. Not in the traditional sense; it wasn't like he had to sleep with a night light. But that creeping sensation that ran across a person's skin and pressed against their chest as they realized that they could not _breathe_…

But he had to stay focused. There was no telling how long Matt had here, and as he recalled Nocnitmon, he knew that no matter how much he wanted his brother here with him, he would prefer to get his brother out of here so that he could actually help him. TK had no way to combat this woman, creature, digimon, _thing_ without a digivice and Patamon here to help him, but he knew that the World of Dreams had a physical realm somewhere, which meant that those things could be brought to him. He hoped.

"I don't know how Oikawa opened the gate to the World of Dreams before," he admitted, "but maybe Izzy or Gennai will have an idea… I don't even know if Nocnitmon is a real digimon…"

"She's as real as me!" Calumon piped up.

"Right, and you remember Primary Village, so you two might have been digimon that slipped into the World of Dreams somehow… I mean, if humans can slip into the World of Darkness, there has to be other holes into other realms, right?"

"…I… what?" Matt had at some point grabbed TK's arms, and his hold had only tightened as Nocnitmon was brought into the picture. He looked pale just thinking about it. "Wait, you're not asking me to leave you here with an evil digimon that's after you who can bring your worst nightmares into reality?"

"Yes, Matt, that's what I'm asking you to do," TK said evenly. As hard as it was for him to send his only backup away, he knew it was going to be harder for Matt to go if he left any hints of how scared he truly was out in the open. "I can't wake up… You just told me that I'm in a coma. There's nothing I can do… I can't do this alone, Matt… I need your help… but you have to leave to give it to me."

"TK! You can't be serious!"

"I _am_ serious. Please, Matt! You have to do this for me!"

The bright and cheery scenery of Primary Village started to darken around them, and Calumon latched onto the back of TK's ankle. "…She found us…"

"Matt, get out of here!" TK begged.

Matt looked torn. It was obvious that he didn't want to leave, and TK realized that he might not have hidden his fear as well as he had wanted to. But even so, the older blonde seemed to realize that his little brother was right when he suddenly gave TK a fierce hug. He closed his eyes, and a moment later, vanished from the World of Dreams. TK stood frozen for a moment until one of the oversized toy blocks exploded, sending stuffing flying everywhere. TK spun around as inky shadows began to dance across the plush ground toward him, and he protectively swept Calumon into his arms.

"What a neat trick," the woman's voice said from the rapidly deepening shadows expanding along the edge of the village, but TK couldn't see her or tell where the words were coming from. "That was certainly an unexpected surprise…"

x X x

Matt woke up with a gasp, jerking himself upright. He nearly fell out of the chair he was sitting in. On the opposite side of TK's bed, Tai jumped to his feet. Tsunomon and Patamon both looked startled as well. Matt blinked, having expected his mother to be sitting there, before realizing she must have left him alone to sleep. _Sleep_. He had fallen asleep, and he had communicated with TK in some strange Dream World. Matt looked up at the clock on the wall.

_Four hours? I was asleep for four hours? _His conversation with TK could not have taken more than ten minutes; he felt like he had only been asleep for fifteen or twenty minutes at most.

Matt jumped to his feet and let go of his baby brother's hand as he looked at TK's face. _Don't worry, little brother. I'll find a way to help you…_

Tai was still staring at Matt. "Hey, everything okay?" he asked bracingly.

Matt didn't answer him; he just swept up his jacket from the back of his chair and left TK's room hastily. Four hours had passed while he had been sleeping. He had fallen asleep to the sound of his mother's voice reading, and had been dreaming (of what, he couldn't even remember), and then he found himself in the Dream World with his brother. His brother! That, he certainly did remember. TK, up and walking and talking and acting predictably embarrassed at his brother treating him like a little kid again.

He had a mission now. Something was keeping his little brother in a coma; something that he could _fight_ and get rid of himself. This was something that Matt could do something about. If he wasn't worried to death about TK, he would have been elated at the fact that this was something that he could actually help with. Sure, doing this wouldn't heal his little brother's physical injuries, but… it was something. He still had dark circles under his eyes, but those four hours of sleep had done wonders for Matt. It wasn't the sleep itself that had energized him, though. It was getting back in contact with his little brother after he had been so afraid that he wouldn't be able to do that ever again. A small smile touched his lips.

A hand suddenly grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around just shy of the ICU doors.

"What is going on, Matt?" Tai asked, Tsunomon in his arms. In the back of his mind, Matt winced as he realized that he had nearly just left his partner behind, but too many thoughts were rushing through his head at the moment.

"I've got to see Izzy. I talked to TK; he needs help…"

Tai blinked at him owlishly. "Uh, what?"

"Matt, you were sleeping. You had a dream that you were talking to your brother because you're worried about him," Tsunomon rationalized quietly.

"Let's go back to the waiting room," Tai suggested calmly. "We can grab some coffee or something—"

"No, Tai. I _talked_ to him. It was _him_, not a dream. I have to talk to Izzy, figure out what's going on. He's in trouble and trapped in the… You know what? I don't have time for this. My brother needs me." He left through the doors of the ICU.

x X x

"Matt! Wait!"

Despite what Kari probably believed, Gatomon wasn't actually napping. She was far too restless for that. Between her partner's anxiousness and seeing Patamon practically falling apart in distress, a good nap was just not going to happen. Digimon were not usually so restless, unable to refuel the energy that they used up the day before. At any moment, even if it was unlikely, the digidestined could be attacked, and then what good would an exhausted digimon be? Despite this knowledge, Gatomon couldn't relax, but she didn't want Kari to worry herself even more so she pretended to be a perfectly content kitten curled up at the chestnut-haired girl's feet.

But because of her lack of relaxation, Gatomon's nap couldn't exactly be disturbed even as the doors to the ICU were suddenly banged open and Tai's voice carried through the mostly silent waiting room. The feline opened a single curious blue eye as Matt suddenly barreled into the room and headed straight for Izzy who had managed to fall asleep across three of the chairs. The shouting had already managed to start to rouse the computer genius, but if there was any hope of him drifting back off, that was ruined by Matt pulling him up.

"Izzy!" Matt exclaimed, grabbing hold of the smaller boy by his shoulders anxiously.

"What in the world?" Sora gasped as she got to her feet, alarmed by Matt's sudden behavior.

"Matt, what's wrong?" Kari asked, nervously.

"Is it TK?" Cody whispered anxiously. The pencil he had been lifelessly holding for the past half hour rolled across the table and tumbled to the ground, forgotten.

Matt ignored all of them. "I need your help," he said, still holding onto Izzy as he continued in a rambling rush. "You've got me to help me, Izzy. Please, you've got to help me. I need your help."

Izzy looked positively frightened by Matt's uncharacteristic behavior. This wasn't like Matt. Usually, getting the blond to admit that he needed help was like pulling teeth, and now he was practically begging for it. Izzy looked like he half expected to get hit or something, but he seemed to slowly start catching up with the words coming out of his friend's mouth. Gatomon realized that with how unhinged Matt was acting, it was probably a very good thing that Nancy and Hiroaki had left not even five minutes before for coffee in the cafeteria.

"I think we gathered that you needed help from the way you barged in here, Matt," Gatomon offered dryly.

She wasn't exactly surprised when she was ignored. She was worried about him. Matt looked exhausted physically, but he was acting so wired up that the young man was shaking all over. In short, her partner's best friend's brother looked about one step from losing it completely. She thought about retracting her former thoughts and wondering if she should suggest that someone go get his parents, but the pleading look in his blue eyes made the feline hold her tongue.

"Uh, okay," Izzy said, finally catching up with what was going on around him. "What am I helping you with?"

"It's TK," Matt said.

"…Matt…" Tai began, having rejoined them in the room.

But the blonde cut him off, not letting him even get whatever thought he had been about to express out. "Just listen to me!" Matt burst. Whether he was snapping at Tai or Izzy whom he was still holding onto, it wasn't clear, but Izzy for his part nodded eagerly while Tai blinked in surprise. "TK is stuck in this other realm or world or whatever, and I need you to figure out how to get me there or there's this digimon that's going to kill my brother."

Gatomon winced as her fear for Matt's sanity was confirmed. Poor guy, she couldn't blame him. She had been half expecting Kari to make the same dive. He wanted some physical adversary. Of course, it was probably almost a good thing that Matt was focusing this on some digimon than going out and looking for the kid that had put TK in the hospital in the first place. Apparently, she wasn't alone in her thinking either.

"Someone should go get Mr Ishida," Joe suggested quietly.

"I'll go get him," Mimi offered, moving to stand.

Their tones had Matt on edge all over again, and he looked at his friends in disbelief, ready to break down. At least he seemed able to hear the others in the room again instead of focusing solely on Izzy who was still at his mercy in his vice-like grips on his arms. "…None of you believe me either…" He finally let go of the computer genius and took a step back. "I don't need my dad… I need you to believe me… TK is in danger… and you have got to believe me that we can help him… I promised I would help him. I promised… You have to believe me, Izzy…"

Izzy looked away from Matt, glancing around at the other digidestined, obviously looking for some help, but no one seemed to know what to say. Mimi was frozen where she stood, doubting whether she should actually go or not. Sora was rubbing her hands over her face before moving them up to her temples.

Upamon hopped off of the table he had been resting on and looked between the two boys uncertainly. "TK's in danger?" he repeated, sounding just as lost as the rest of them.

"That's what I said!" Matt snapped. The teen's blue eyes were filled with threatening tears that he was just barely managing to keep in as he ran two frustrated hands through his hair, mussing up the already messy blond locks. "He's stuck, and he can't wake up, and I'm not going to let her kill TK. Izzy… please… please… _help me_. Believe me or don't, but you're the only one that can figure out how to get there, and TK's life is depending on this! I need you to figure out how to get to the World of Dreams or he's going to die! And I don't want to have to tell my brother goodbye. I promised him! I promised him I would help him…"

Towards the end of his speech, his words started to choke on themselves as the tears finally began to spill out from the corner of his eyes. Kari gave a gasp as her hands flew up to her mouth, and Gatomon stood, eyeing the older blond warily.

"The World of Dreams?" Ken repeated quietly, his dark blue eyes stormy with memories.

"Yes! The World of Dreams! And this digimon… Nocnitmon… She has TK trapped. She won't let him wake up, and she's killing him with his own nightmares. Just help me!" It was unclear who he was talking to anymore. He just appeared to be looking for anyone to believe him.

"Matt," Yolei began bracingly. "Most of us haven't had a good night's sleep in almost three days, and I know my sleep-deprived brain is clearly not tuned into the same station as yours. What does the World of Dreams have to do with TK?"

"Yeah, Matt, you're not making any sense," Mimi added.

Matt cried out in frustration, causing the girls to flinch. "You're not listening to me! Everything! It has everything to do with him!"

His jaw tightened as he began to pace back forth. Whether he was just trying to blow off steam or figure out another way to explain whatever was in his head or maybe even decide who to hit, it was hard to say. Gatomon was wide-eyed as the Child of Friendship moved across the floor in a frantic frenzy. She looked back toward Izzy who had turned to his laptop as he typed away.

"Right," Davis said suddenly, standing with a determined look in his eye. "We've gotten to the World of Dreams before, we can do it again!" Silence followed his declaration as everyone turned to look at him in shock. He blinked, obviously surprised at having all of the attention on him suddenly. His face went slightly red as he suddenly reached up to start wiping at his face. "What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked Ken, panicked.

"You mean you believe him?"Sora asked, surprised.

He lowered his hands before smiling. "Why not? Guys, we're friends with talking monsters—"

"_Digital_ monsters," Poromon correctly with a huff.

"—we get turned into data on a regular basis, we've saved the world more times than we can count, and we know that the World of Dreams exist," he said easily. "What's not to believe?"

Matt, who had been staring at Davis wordlessly since the moment he spoke up, was suddenly flooded with relief before he took three steps toward the younger boy and wrapped him in a tight hug. Gatomon blinked, not knowing whether she should be touched or amused by the rather odd sight. After all, Davis and Matt weren't exactly known for their closeness. She had always theorized that Matt got enough of one Tai in his life without having to deal with his miniature version. Davis didn't seem to know what to do or think either as he awkwardly stood there, with his arms straight at his sides, looking for someone to rescue him.

Tai smiled softly at the two of them before stepping forward as the hug finally ended to put a hand on each of their shoulder's. To his protégé, he said, "You're right, Davis. I always knew you were the right choice for leader."

Matt looked at his best friend with a shocked look. "You actually…"

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you right away, Matt," Tai said before looking at the rest of the group. "What do we know about the World of Dreams?"

"It's where we ended up when Oikawa tried to go to the Digital World," Cody offered quietly.

"But it didn't work, because BlackWarGreymon sealed the gate in Highten View Terrace," Yolei continued.

"Even then, we don't even know if Oikawa used the correct gate combination," Ken said thoughtfully. "He could have gotten it wrong to begin with, and then it has nothing to do with the fact that the gate was sealed."

"Izzy," Matt asked, turning away from them toward the computer genius. "Are you going to help me or not?" The auburn-haired boy was looking down at his computer, his expression nearly unreadable. Matt was stopped in front of him, holding his breath as he waited for a response. His hands were balled into fist so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Matt asked in a softer voice that admitted the young man's weakness and vulnerability, "…Please, Izzy… I can't do this without your help."

Izzy scanned whatever was on his screen. He looked up at Matt's tear-stained face when he heard that soft pleading question. Izzy's black eyes looked toward Matt's blue. "How do you know the digimon was Nocnitmon? I can't find any information that this digimon even exists."

"Then she's the only one! I know it's her because TK told me… I talked to him." Matt was practically on his knees in front of Izzy now, his hands finding the computer genius's arms again. "He's in a coma because she's keeping him there, and she's going to kill him if you don't help me. Help us. Please, Izzy, _please_. TK needs me." Matt took a breath to try to even out the trembling in his voice, but it didn't work well at all. "TK is going to die. The doctors can't do anything, because it's not medical. He can't wake up, and it's her fault. She's killing him."

Izzy went back to looking down at his laptop before moving to do something on the computer. Gatomon was worried that Matt was going to pop a vein when the computer genius finally looked back up at him. "Gennai believes that he may know of another way to get to the World of Dreams, and he might have some information that could help us. We need to get somewhere where we can talk to him."

"You believe me?" Matt asked softly, releasing his arms again.

Sora stepped forward with a teary smile as she handed him a tissue. "We all do," she whispered.

Gatomon decided not to mention how she was pretty sure that everyone in the waiting room had been two seconds away from giving him a straight jacket a minute ago. She, along with everyone else it seemed, believed him now and that was what mattered.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. But I do have this fantastic idea for a Digimon MMO... Oh, how I wish you could just walk into offices and gush about all of the ideas you have! But then they could never get me to shut up...

**Author's Note**: For those who celebrate, Happy Holidays! I hope you all are enjoying this time of year. If you do nothing else, just find one person who you love and give them a great big hug and tell them how much you love them. You never know when tomorrow may never come. That's what this time of year always makes me think about!

Now, for some serious talk... This chapter may require tissues. Just a warning. Also, there is something a bit graphic toward the end dealing with blood. If you are squeamish, I suggest you read with caution. Anywho, as always, reviews are LOVED and so very appreciated, you have no idea!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

Something had been lifted off of Kari's shoulders. TK was still in a coma; he was still in serious danger; but now she knew that she wasn't going to be forced to just sit by and watch her best friend and boy she loved die. She was going to be able to do something about it. Her tears, that had seemed to endless the past several days, had finally managed to dry up.

After taking a moment to allow everybody's racing mind to catch up to what Matt was saying, Kari had finally allowed herself to believe it all to be true. It took leaving the hospital and heading to the closest safe location – which turned out to be Joe's apartment – before it all really began to sink in. Her mind called up the memory of hearing TK's voice saying her name so clearly in her dream…

_Could it have been…?_

Joe's apartment wasn't built to hold 11 people and six digimon. It was barely suitable to hold one person. As the first and so far only person to move out of their parents' home, the apartment had seemed like a king's den at the time. Now, its space limitations were really starting to become obvious.

The small kitchen and living room were forced to share the same space. She could easily hear the conversations of her brother with Izzy, Joe, and Matt floating through the doorway and paper thin walls. As soon as they had arrived, Kari had quickly had the urge to escape the crowded living room and escaped into the bedroom instead, which didn't even have its own closet. She sat at the foot of Joe's bed, staring at the door of the only other room in the apartment, the bathroom. Gatomon was curled up dutifully next to her on the bed.

A while ago, Yolei had stuck her head into the room to say something about going to go check on her parents. She had asked if Kari wanted to go with, but the brunette had simply shaken her head. TK needed her help. The more she thought about it, thought about how clear his voice had been, the more she realized it had to have been him. She could still remember the warmth that had come over her as she heard his voice, the warmth of his presence whenever he was near her. But then she also remembered the chilling cold that she had felt as she exited his room too.

She knew now that he had needed her help, probably right at that moment, and now… If anything happened to him…

"I talked to my dad," Joe was saying.

"And?" Tai asked.

"There's no physical reason for TK to be in a coma. His body is healing up at a normal rate. Granted, head injuries are tricky, but if this digimon or whatever she is has anything to with keeping TK in a coma, then it's possible that if we defeat her—"

"He'll wake up?" Matt finished eagerly.

"Seems that way."

"Okay, then what are we waiting for!?" a new voice piped up, letting Kari know that Davis was in with the other boys too.

"Yeah! I'm ready for some action!" DemiVeemon cried.

"Well, for one," Ken started, speaking slowly, "TK is in our world physically but in another mentally. How do we know that this digimon isn't doing the same thing?"

"If we're going to go after her, we want to get her on the first try," Tai agreed.

Kari wanted to go in there and join the conversation, but she knew from the looks that everyone had been throwing her way the past few days that her presence would only be a distraction. They'd end up unnecessarily censoring themselves in front of her. She didn't blame any of them for acting the way they were toward her. She knew that she had been a bit of a mess the past couple of days. She still felt weak, like she was missing something vital, but she was using this new information as a motivator to find the strength. Somehow she had to keep it together.

"That's not what we need to be worrying about right now!" Matt snapped. "TK is!"

"Matt…" Tsunomon began gently.

"He has a point," Cody suddenly interjected softly. "Whoever is in there with TK, she's secondary to making sure that TK gets out of there before…"

Awkward and tense silence fell over the group as they considered the unspoken possibility. Someone gave a frustrated sigh.

"We still don't even know how to help him," Matt said.

"We have to get to him," Davis answered simply.

"And how do we do that?" This time, it was Joe asking.

"Gennai is still working on that," Izzy said lowly, sounding distracted. "According to his email, there are a lot of things that even he doesn't know about the World of Dreams, but that he's trying to gather as much information as he can. The last thing any of us want or need right now is to jump through a gate and end up in the wrong world."

"Why can't I just go back to sleep?" Matt asked. "It worked once before."

Kari stood from the bed and started to inch toward the door. Gatomon lifted her head and watched her for a moment before following her, landing silently as she leapt off the bed. "Kari?" Gatomon asked quietly. The Child of Light didn't answer as she continued to listen to the conversation in the other room.

"Yeah, but we don't know why," Joe pointed out.

"Or how it worked," Ken added.

"And there's no way to get TK his digivice or Patamon by simply going to sleep," Tai said quietly in a surprisingly logical manner.

"Where is his digivice?" Kari asked suddenly.

She had made it to the doorway of the living room where she could now see the boys all gathered around the loveseat in the center of the room. None of them were seated, though, and the panicked energy in the room told the story as to why. Yolei, Poromon, Mimi, and Sora were nowhere to be seen. Everybody turned at her voice, though, and an uncomfortable hush came over the room. She felt Gatomon rub up against her leg as she joined her.

"Where is it?" she repeated.

Davis and Ken looked at each other, confused.

"At the hospital with the rest of his stuff?" Tai guessed.

Cody shook his head. "He wouldn't have played with it on him."

"It's in his locker," Ken realized.

"His gym locker," Dai clarified. "Back at school… which is closed on Sundays."

"We have to get it," Matt said, moving to stand.

"I'll go," Davis volunteered.

"Me too," Ken said.

"No, I will," Cody said, but he wasn't looking at Ken; he was looking at Davis.

Davis looked baffled. "I know where his locker is!"

"So does Ken." The kendo student looked to Ken, who nodded to verify that fact. "And he doesn't have nearly the detention record that you do, Davis. If we get caught, between me not actually going to the school and Ken's perfect record, we're likely to get into a lot less trouble than if you were there. You could end up expelled."

"I don't care about that!" Davis said heatedly.

Kari stepped forward and put a calming hand on his arm. She felt like she should be volunteering to go in Cody's place, but she found she really didn't have the energy. So, she did the next best thing as she looked at Davis pleadingly. Davis looked over at her, and before she had even said a word, a defeated look crossed his face. Unhappily but resigned, he nodded.

"Come on," Cody said as soon as he had the all clear and headed for the door.

Ken looked between Cody, Davis, and Kari, obviously confused as to the exchange that just happened, before he turned to Minomon. "We'll be back soon," he promised to both him and Upamon, who looked just as lost. Then, he followed Cody out the door.

Kari turned to look at Davis to say something, but he beat her to it. "You alright?" he asked quietly, his eyes filled with concern.

She blinked before smiling softly. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Davis stared at her for a moment before turning to look at the door. "That was weird," he admitted as he turned his eyes back on her. "But I guess it makes sense. I'll be better when I can actually do something, though."

"Hopefully, we'll know what we need to do soon," Kari said, staring off with a stormy expression.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Your turn."

Kari gave Davis a grateful look. "I'm okay," she responded,

_I just hope TK's okay, too…_

x X x

"Thanks for letting us use your dad's computer, Yolei," Sora said as she walked into the backroom of the convenience store they had visited so many times before.

"No problem!" the lavender-haired girl said as she held the door open for them. "It's kind of an old piece of junk, but it should work just fine. Take as long as you need. I'm going to help my mom make some more potato salad while I have the time. We're running a little low. It's usually my job, but…"

Sora waved her off. "It's good enough. You go do what you need to do."

Yolei nodded before she shut the door and disappeared from sight. Mimi moved around the desk to join Sora in front of the computer while the redhead tried to get the old PC to boot up. The pink-haired girl smiled amused as she set her purse down next to the oversized tower.

"I think the mere existence of this machine might give Izzy a heart attack," the Child of Sincerity quipped with a small grin.

"Either that or excite him beyond measure," Sora muttered.

Mimi leaned back against the desk and gave her best friend a look. "What exactly are we doing anyway?"

"Joe told me that he and Izzy had talked to Gomamon and the others about what was going on, but that was yesterday. Things have kind of changed…"

"That's the understatement of the year," Mimi said.

Sora smiled. "I just think that we should let our digimon know that they need to be on guard."

An odd silence fell across the room after that. Sora tried to focus on the rotating circle on the screen, letting her know that the computer was still trying to load up, but it wasn't long before she turned to look at her best friend. Mimi was standing there, one hand on her hip, and the other scratching at some peeling paint on the desk. Her bottom lip was between her teeth as he chewed on it uncertainly. It was a typical "I want to say something but I don't want to upset anybody" Mimi pose.

"What is it?" Sora finally just asked. When she didn't get a reply right away, she added, "You know you can tell me."

Mimi let out a sigh before she reached up to tuck one of her pink strands behind her diamond-studded pierced ears. "I just…" She took another moment to chew on her lip for a second longer before continuing, "Do you really believe it?"

Sora blinked. "You don't?"

The pink-haired girl looked away, staring down at her nails as they picked at the peeling paint. She didn't say anything for a moment, and Sora was starting to wonder if she was going to speak at all when she finally opened her mouth once more. "It's just… it's weird," she finished lamely.

Sora nodded slowly, not sure how she should respond to that. "It is," she agreed, but before she could continue, Mimi suddenly cut her off.

"Why does everything have to tie back into the Digital World!?" she blurted out.

"Mimi…"

"When do we get to have a break from all of this, huh? Aren't you tired of our lives constantly having to be put on hold because of something related to us being digidestined?" Then, slightly quieter, she added, "Aren't you tired of all the fighting?"

Sora's gaze softened, and she stood to grab Mimi's face, forcing her to look up at her. "Of course I am. We all are. But we're digi_destined_, Mimi. We can't escape it. That's who we'll always be. And in this instance, it's a _good_ thing. We can actually help TK!"

Mimi sniffled, and she looked up at her best friend with watery chocolate brown eyes. "I'm just so tired of this, Sora," she whispered. "I love Palmon, but why does being her friend have to come with so much destruction?"

The tennis player shook her head, not having an answer to that. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around the other girl and pulled her into a tight hug. "Shhh," she murmured back comfortingly as she rubbed her back with one hand and gently ran her other hand over her hair. "You know," she began after a moment, "I bet Palmon feels the same way you do. I bet she wishes that her friendship with you came without any strings attached as well."

Mimi pulled back and brought her hands up to wipe away her tears, causing her mascara to smear under her eyes. "I feel like a terrible person," she sobbed.

Sora picked out a tissue from the tissue box on the desk and brought it up to her best friend's eyes, dabbing at the smears and tears. "You're not," she said firmly.

"Yes, I am!" she protested.

"No, you're not," Sora repeated. "And if you say that one more time, I _will_ let Matt throw you to Etemon next time." She offered a small smile when Mimi gave a watery laugh in response. "I'm happy that this seems to be an instance where our digimon are once again able to help us, but I'm like you. We're turning 20, about to start our lives as adults… This is exhausting. Anyone would agree. But somebody out there must have thought we were strong enough to handle it; that's why we were chosen."

"I don't feel like it most of the time," Mimi sighed as she took the tissue from Sora and pulled out her eye shadow so that she could use the small mirror within to fix her makeup.

"Well, that's where you're definitely wrong," Sora said with a smile. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Mimi."

Mimi lowered her eye shadow to look at her longtime best friend before smiling. "Thanks, Sora. I… I don't mean to be a lousy friend and doubt Matt…"

"I know," Sora replied instantly. "It's a little hard to believe, even for me, but what other choice do we have? If we don't believe that it's true, then… then that's it, isn't it?"

A silence fell over the two girls as they got lost in their own thoughts. Sora definitely understood where Mimi was coming from. It seemed like they couldn't go more than just a handful of years for another evil to show up and ruin the peace they had just started to get acquainted with. It had taken a lot of struggling for Sora to finally learn to open her heart to her friends, allowing her to share those burdens and bad memories with those around her, but Mimi was different. She was so sensitive, and she felt everything so strongly. She only ever wanted to help those around her, but when every attempt to help didn't seem to help at all and usually ended in tragedy…

_That's not going to happen this time_, Sora thought firmly.

"Sora," Mimi said quietly, pulling her out of her thoughts.

The redhead looked up at her before realizing that Mimi was staring at the computer screen. It had finally decided to boot up. Sora sat back down in the computer chair and moved to pull up the digital gate. The little green light shined up at her. She turned to look at Mimi.

"I can go alone if you'd rather stay…" she started uncertainly.

"No," Mimi said. "I'm alright. Really."

Sora was not exactly confident in that statement, but she smiled and nodded anyway before pulling out her digivice. "Digiport open!" A bright light exploded from the monitor before it swallowed them up. The familiar feeling of spinning followed until they were finally spat back out onto lush grass. Sora only had a moment to realize that she was laying facedown before she heard a familiar voice shouting out her name.

"Sora!"

Her head snapped up and a smile spread across her face as Biyomon raced toward her. Sora scrambled to her knees just in time to catch the bird digimon against her chest.

"Oh, Biyomon… I've missed you…" she whispered.

"I've missed you, too, Sora," Biyomon whispered back.

Next to them, Palmon and Mimi were in the midst of trying to untangle hair from roots, tearfully laughing all the while.

It had been weeks (possibly even over a month if Sora was honest with herself) since she had last seen her digimon partner. College and her social life had just taken over, and it had become harder than it probably should to find time to visit her best friend. She knew that Biyomon understood; the pink digimon always did; but it didn't stop her from feeling any less guilty in this moment as she realized just how long it had been for both of them.

"Sora?" The redhead looked up to see Agumon, Tentomon, and Gomamon standing there. "How's TK?"

Sora turned to look at Mimi, hoping for some help in explanation, but Mimi looked completely at a loss for words. The tennis player would have been amused at this rare development had the situation not been so dire. She took a deep breath as she turned back to the waiting digimon before launching into an explanation of the past two days and ending with the information that Matt gave them.

"I've never heard of a digimon that lived in the World of Dreams," Tentomon said, his bug eyes a bit wider than usual after hearing everything that Sora had to say. "Then again… I've not heard much about the World of Dreams to begin with."

"Whoever she is, she sounds like one bad digimon," Gomamon said solemnly.

"If she even _is_ a digimon," Agumon said thoughtfully.

"How is Matt taking all of this?" Palmon asked, looking up at her partner.

Mimi let out suffering breath. "Not well," she said, finally speaking up. "And you should see Patamon… he looks so…"

"Fragile," Sora finished when she trailed off.

Mimi looked over at her and nodded, agreeing with her chosen word.

Biyomon nodded as well as if she expected that news. "It's probably because of TK," she said smartly.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

The bird digimon turned her blue eyes toward her partner. "I'm tied to you, Sora. Your strength gives me strength."

"And my weakness…" Sora continued faintly as her digimon's words slowly sank in, "…gives you weakness…"

Mimi gave a strangled gasp. "Oh, Palmon! You mean… if I die, you'll… d-die…?"

Palmon nodded gravely.

"But," Mimi protested furiously, "digimon are reborn! That's what you told us! Patamon and Wormmon, they were… They were reborn…"

"And we will be," Agumon said. "As long as Tai and the rest of you are there to give us strength."

Sora turned her brown eyes down upon her digimon partner who was staring up at her with an understanding gaze without an ounce of fear that unlike most digimon, her life would one day come to a permanent end. Tears started to gather in the tennis player's eyes, and she had to shut them tightly to stop any from falling. She felt an immense amount of guilt at the idea that because of her, Biyomon's life would one day come to an end, even if she couldn't do a thing about it. But Biyomon didn't blame her, just as she was sure that Patamon didn't blame TK at all.

But that didn't stop her from now knowing the truth.

_If we lose TK… we're going to lose Patamon, too…_

x X x

"It's locked."

Ken looked at the chain wrapped around the door handles even as Cody announced the obvious. He reached out and ran his fingers over the lock thoughtfully. It was too late for any of the janitorial staff to still be here; any weekend classes would have ended hours ago; and it didn't appear as if there was any security around.

"What now?" Cody asked quietly.

They couldn't just give up, not when TK's life depended on getting his digivice to him. Ken looked away from the lock and began to silently walk the perimeter of the school. As he came to the first window, his pressed his hands against the glass and pushed up. It didn't budge.

"What's the likelihood that one of the teachers forgot to lock a window?" Cody said as he caught onto what he was doing.

"Not very," Ken answered honestly.

Despite the less than optimistic response, Cody jogged to the window on the other side of the front doors. Silence came over the two boys as they went separate ways, trying the windows on the first level.

Ken couldn't see Cody anymore. The younger boy had moved around the corner into the courtyard toward the back. He sighed as another window failed to open before walking a few steps to the right to try the next one. It took him a moment to realize that he was staring into the computer room. Knowing that sometimes TK and Kari would use this very window to sneak Gatomon and Patamon into the room early, he placed his hands against the glass hopefully.

He froze.

A shape was in the room, looming over the very computer that had taken them to the Digital World so many times before since they left their old middle school. The shape moved, becoming more defined as it stood to its full height, before it shifted, as if turning to look at Ken.

_Oikawa..._

The thought entered his head as quickly as the visage suddenly disappeared. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly before hesitantly reopening them, afraid to see the room no longer empty. There was nobody there. He had no idea why that name had entered his head. The shape, if it could even be called that, had been nothing more than a dark shadow without any features. Even so, the moment had taken him back to years before when he had woken in the middle of the night to realize that somebody was at his computer.

_It was just my imagination._

But even the attempt at making himself believe the comforting thought did nothing to stop the trembling in his hands or the pounding of his heart in his chest. He stared between his shivering fingers, his eyes still frozen on that now empty space.

_There's no way... _No_ way..._

"Ken!"

The shout nearly made him leap out of his skin.

"Over here!"

Ken took a moment to press a shaking hand to his chest, trying to calm his racing heart, before he managed to respond, "C-coming!" He hoped that his sudden irrational fear wasn't obvious to his younger companion. He took one last long look into the computer room before he managed to tear himself away, taking off in a sprint toward where he heard Cody's voice. He rounded the corner just in time to see Cody's leg disappear through a window. A second later, he was sticking his head back out and catching sight of Ken.

"You alright?" he asked as soon as he was close enough to see in the darkness.

Ken withheld a wince at the question. Apparently, he didn't hide it as well as he would have liked. He simply nodded as he took Cody's hand and with his help, hoisted himself through the window as well. Cody closed the window behind him as Ken went to the door of the classroom (an upper year math classroom, it looked like) and cautiously peered out into the hallway. All was silent.

Cody joined him in the doorway. "You think anybody's still around?" he asked, trying to discern Ken's behavior.

Immediately, he thought of the figure he had seen through the window…

"No," he answered sternly.

Cody looked up and down the hallway before studying the expression on the older boy's face. "…But it's better to be safe than sorry," he said eventually.

Ken's eyes closed with relief. He couldn't explain the fear or what he had seen, and Cody wasn't asking him to. He was just accepting his behavior as it was, and proceeding the best way that he could. Sometimes, he took Cody's observational skills for granted, but it was moments like this that he found himself truly grateful.

"Yeah," he managed to choke out.

Cody nodded, gave the hallway another sweep, before he finally led the way out of the classroom and headed in the direction of the locker rooms. Ken followed at a slightly slower pace, his eyes trailing along the floor as he went, his mind not quite on their mission at the moment. What had he seen back there? Was it real? The last time they had seen Oikawa had been the first (and last) time they had come across the World of Dreams. Was there some connection?

Or was his mind simply playing tricks on him thanks to the memories that this world brought up?

_The Digimon Emperor…_

He hadn't thought of that version of himself in years, actually. He had finally started to put his past behind him as he grasped onto his future with a renewed sense of hope. But the World of Dreams had the power to make him face his demons head on once before; would he have to do so again? Is that what TK was going through right now?

So many questions, and yet Ken knew that there were no easy answers.

_And_, Ken reminded himself suddenly, _this isn't about me. It's about TK_.

The idea that TK was stuck in that world that had nearly defeated them simply by getting them lost inside their own heads was enough to send shivers up his spine. The World of Dreams… The place where fantasies and nightmares could become reality. It had nearly claimed him, but from what he had been told, next to Davis, TK had been the quickest to break out of his illusion. That had to count for something, right? He would be fine. He had to.

"Ken?" The ebony-haired boy looked up. Cody had slowed down to keep in sync with the older boy's slower steps, leaving them still walking side by side as they continued toward their destination. "Can I ask you something?"

Ken glanced toward him curiously at the odd tone in his voice. "Is this about what happened at Joe's?" he asked, remembering the odd exchange between Cody and Davis that had taken place.

Cody colored lightly. "Sort of." Ken nodded for him to continue. "I remember… when you and Davis first DNA Digivolved, Davis said that he could feel your heart beating alongside his, like you two were in sync. Was it the same for you?"

For a moment, the Child of Kindness said nothing, trying to gauge if this was the actual question he wanted to ask him before raising his gaze in thought. A small smile touched his lips. "Yeah… it was really strange at the time. Almost like I could feel every breath or almost… sense what he was thinking."

"And now?"

Ken returned his gaze onto the younger boy's face. "Do I still feel the same connection?" he asked for clarification. Though Cody's eyes were focused on his shoes, he nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I can usually tell when he's had a bad day even before I see him, or that he's calling me before I even answer the phone. I've never really thought much about it, though… Why? Don't you have the same thing with TK?"

The silence that followed made Ken think that he wasn't going to answer, and then the younger boy took a breath and came to a stop. They were standing outside the locker room now, but neither of them made any move to enter.

"I did," he whispered. "That connection was always just there. I didn't give it any further thought. But now…"

"Now?" Ken pressed.

"…Now… it's just gone." Cody looked up at Ken with watery green eyes. "There's nothing there. It's just silent."

Ken could see the panic shining in Cody's eyes as he said those words, and it made his stomach nearly fall out. If he could suddenly no longer _feel_ Davis's presence, he knew that it would definitely scare him. Being DNA digivolving partners had connected them for life, and he knew that nothing would ever change that. The only thing that could probably ever break that connection was the unthinkable, and he knew those were the thoughts flashing through Cody's mind right now.

And right now, he was waiting for Ken to say something that would contradict all of those worries. _Why me?_ Ken found himself wondering. If Cody had just insisted on going with Davis instead of Ken, he would have been easily fed all of the blindly optimistic responses that he needed right now. But that was just it, wasn't it? TK was always the optimistic voice between the two of them while Cody kept an air of logic and realism; it balanced out their relationship, but it made Cody very much aware when people were just being optimistic for optimism's sake.

Cody was far more like Ken: cold, logical, calm… often to a fault. And it this kind of mind that Cody needed to hear from right now. He wanted the cold hard truth, even as he _hoped_ for the best. Or, at least, that's what Cody was telling himself. Those pleading eyes were begging for some hope, and Ken knew that he couldn't give him anything but that.

"He's going to be fine," he said, his voice shaking at first. He cleared his throat and then repeated the phrase with much more conviction, "He's going to be fine."

The green eyed boy gave a shaky nod before he managed a watery small smile. "Thank you," he whispered sincerely before heading into the locker room. Ken took a shaky breath and nodded to the empty hallway before following him in.

_He's going to be fine_.

x X x

"_What a neat trick. That was certainly an unexpected surprise." _

The chilling voice reverberated in TK's ears as the shadows crept further across the plush ground of Primary Village. Stuffing continued to slowly rain down from the sky as he took a shaky step backwards. He swallowed hard.

_Hurry, Matt. Don't let me down, please. _

Matt had never let him down before. Not intentionally. But the darkness was making it hard to be so optimistic. Flashes of staring out at a lake for days where his brother's swan-boat disappeared on the horizon weeks before started to fill his head. He squeezed his eyes shut and gave himself a violent shake. That had been different. Matt had believed he was safe; this time, Matt knew he was in danger. He would move mountains to get him the help he needed.

"Calumon, don't let go of me," he said, trying to sound braver than he felt at the moment.

He placed the little creature on his shoulder before moving to start running down the length of Primary Village, the brightly colored blocks passing by as the colors began to dim from the encroaching darkness. Calumon clung to the material of his shirt, making it strain slightly against his throat. The entire area felt smaller and gloomier, but it was probably only because the all encompassing light of the Dream World was being swallowed whole by Nocnitmon's darkness.

"I'm actually impressed… You're not as weak as so many other humans I've met in this world," the woman's voice whispered from everywhere and nowhere. "Breaking you will be quite enjoyable."

Disembodied laughter filled the area, chilling enough to raise the hairs on the back of TK's neck. It took all of his self control not to allow the chill to travel down his spine in a shiver. He wished the woman would show herself. He couldn't decide if hearing her and not being able to see her was more intimidating than laying his eyes upon the silver-haired creature of the night, but at least he wouldn't be expecting her to pop out of every corner and shadow that he passed.

"_They say the smallest will destroy me, but I'm not going to let that happen…"_

TK squeezed his eyes shut and ran faster. The voice was still the woman's, but he could hear the echo of Devimon's in that statement making him almost feel like he was running from him instead. They needed to get out of the open, out of Primary Village. Get somewhere else. He had no idea how long they could possibly run from her, but he hoped it would be long enough for Matt to get him something, anything that could help him. Hearing those chilling words in Nocnitmon's sickeningly honeyed tone coupled with Devimon's gleeful mania had TK's heart racing again. He had to protect Calumon, though. He had to protect himself. He promised Matt he would be careful. He _promised_.

When he dived into a line of trees at the edge of the village, hoping for some momentary escape for himself and Calumon, everything rippled. TK staggered forward and nearly fell to his knees. Even after all this time of knowing that this world wasn't real, he wasn't quite ready to see it literally shift before his eyes. It made him feel almost sick to his stomach, especially as he found himself at the base of Infinity Mountain. He looked up at the monstrous monument and felt his breath hitch and his eyes widen in fear as a lumbering dark shadow was cast over the entire area. TK spun on his heel as his eyes lied upon a shimmering form of Devimon standing there. Calumon was still on his shoulder, clinging there, just as terrified.

"_I won't allow you to take my power away! You'll have to fight me!_"

Immediately, TK turned away, even as there was a shimmering light that was making its presence known hovering in front of the dark mass. The trees, the mountain, even the temperature in the air was exactly as it had been the day he'd watch his best friend die and had come pretty close to dying himself.

Calumon's grip tightened as he turned his body, obviously still trying to watch the scene going on above them. "TK, what's going on?"

TK couldn't answer him. He felt ill; he wanted to back up into a corner and curl into a ball right then. A little change of scenery, a few glowy and shadowy blobs, a creepy voice, and he was a wreck. Some digidestined he turned out to be. The day had already been replayed for him once. He wasn't sure if he could handle going through it again. The golden-haired chosen child's breaths began to hyperventilate, and he backed up until his back rested against the closest tree.

"No… please…"

"…TK?" Calumon placed a tiny claw against his cheek in an attempt to comfort him even as his voice faltered with fear. He didn't understand. Couldn't understand what all of this meant. What those faded shapes meant. What this place symbolized. His jade green eyes moved from TK to look back up at the scene playing out above them before tugging on a piece of his blonde hair. "TK?"

TK shook his head, trying to snap himself out of it. It was near impossible. His heart was thundering away. He closed his eyes, attempting to swallow back the fear.

_Just don't listen; don't watch. This has already happened. Patamon came back to me. We won. Everything turned out okay. _

He had to keep himself together. Otherwise, he wasn't going to be any good at protecting himself, and Calumon would have put himself in jeopardy for him for nothing. With a deep breath, he pushed himself off of the tree and started towards where he knew the winter biome should have stood before the island was broken up. But so much of the island had been destroyed by Devimon's control. Entire sections completely missing. Openings within showing off black gears. His blue eyes were nearly completely green, his jaw quivering despite his best efforts to keep it from doing so.

"_You can't get away from the dark forces. Evil is everywhere, so don't savor your victory…_"

"TK… what is this…?" Calumon whispered in a quivering voice.

"The worst day of my life," TK breathed.

He broke through the line of trees into the area where the winter biome should have been, trying to put the mountain between him and the scene that was being played out, and was met with something that was just as horrible as watching Patamon disappear.

"_Matt!_" TK felt the scream ripping from this throat. He nearly fell over when he spotted him. The whole world felt like it was tilting and spinning, and TK had to catch himself on the closest tree. He felt like he couldn't breathe. _No. No, no, no, no, no…_ The word kept repeating in his head as though, if he said it enough to himself, it wouldn't be true. Calumon gasped, but TK didn't hear him. He didn't hear anything beyond the deafening thundering of his heart. He couldn't move.

Matt wasn't moving. There was not even the faintest rise and fall of the blonde digidestined's chest. He lay on his side, his expression slack, and his complexion chalky white from blood loss. The crimson liquid had pooled across the ground and seeped into the dirt, painting the grass around the Child of Friendship, and stained his clothes in a circle that centered over his heart. Matt was dead.

His only brother, sometimes the only person that understood him even when he didn't understand himself, was dead, and all TK could do was stand there next to a tree and stare, frozen at the scene in front of him.

"…M…Ma…" TK couldn't say his brother's name again, not while knowing that he wasn't going to get an answer back. All he could see, feel, and sense was in front of him, centered in on Matt's lifeless body. TK's heart was pounding so hard against his ribs it was making him dizzy.

Calumon whimpered and tried to give him a small comforting pat, but TK shrugged him off, making the little guy tumble to the ground. No rational thoughts were left to be had. TK staggered forward, breaking his paralysis, and moved as if through quicksand toward his brother. It had to be some mistake. It _had_ to be. It didn't happen this way… It…

TK sank to his knees, not caring that his brother's blood was now coating his knees and soaking into his khaki shorts from where he knelt in it. _No. Not Matt_. TK blinked back tears, trying to breathe. He was afraid to touch Matt. The Child of Hope closed his eyes, begging that when he opened them this would be gone. It wasn't. Matt was still there. _Matt's body_, TK amended. His hands were trembling when he felt for the pulse that he knew he wouldn't find.

Calumon didn't move from where he had hit the ground, belly-down in the dirt and his eyes locked in absolute horror on the scene in front of him. Tears were running down his cheeks, but they were nothing compared to what TK was going through in that moment. The boy didn't even recognize the anguished cry that left his lips as he doubled over, folding himself over Matt and clinging to him.

"I own this place, boy," the voice that was smooth as silk and chilling as nails on a chalkboard whispered into the air. "Did you think I wouldn't know he was here too? I know everything that happens in my domain…" Her voice faded as Devimon's maniacal laughter filtered through the air.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. Oh, but wouldn't it be cool if I secretly did?

**Author's Note**: Another round of Happy Holidays for everybody who celebrates! Thank you to the Thinker who has been giving me constructive criticism, and I hope I'm getting better at the things you have mentioned. This is not exactly the happiest chapter for the holidays, but anybody who is used to having family over this time of year knows that "happy" doesn't always describe the holidays, right? So, I guess this chapter is the other side of things. Haha.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve<strong>

Nancy Takaishi and Hiroaki Ishida walked into the Ishida apartment several hours later and were instantly worried by the silence. Nancy would have thought that Matt may have left, unable to take it anymore, only to be followed by his exhausted friends all within a few minutes while she and her ex-husband were away getting coffee if it weren't for a nurse's comment about a blonde haired teen's near breakdown. She took it as a good sign that he hadn't left alone (as the empty waiting room told her), but the idea that Matt had simply gone home and to bed seemed farfetched. With his stubborn refusal to sleep since his brother's accident, the mother of two simply knew better. She had wanted to send Hiroaki to his apartment to check on Matt immediately, but the single father had talked her out of it. _He probably needs some time alone_, he had said. Now, Nancy was regretting listening to her oldest son's guardian.

She didn't think Matt would do any harm to himself; at least, she hoped he wouldn't. He would, however, get that little monster friend of his to go off and do something stupid. That was why the unnatural silence of the apartment worried Nancy so much. Then there was the worry that in the state Matt was in, he might have tried to get home alone and been easy pickings for a mugging, or for more of those monsters to attack, or for anyone to take advantage of his current vulnerability. She left Hiroaki standing in the doorway, leaving the man to follow behind her, as she moved toward the door to Matt's bedroom. Maybe Tai had finally managed to coax him to sleep, after all.

Nancy placed a hand on the doorknob of Matt's room. She leaned in close, listening to see if she could hear anybody inside, and raised a hand to knock lightly when there was a loud BANG! as the front door was thrown open. Nancy startled and spun around just in time to see Matt barrel into the apartment with Tsunomon in one arm.

The young man barely missed running into his father by mere inches as he stumbled into the living room. His hair was in disarray; his clothes, especially his jacket, were hanging off of his body in an unkempt and unwashed manner; and his eyes were wide, glassy, and alert.

"Oh. My. God."

Matt went straight to the coffee table where he set his partner down and started to throw all of the mail to the floor as he rummaged through the contents, obviously looking for something. "Where are they? Where are they…?" It was like he wasn't even aware that someone else was in the room.

"Yamato Ishida, are you _drunk_?" Nancy asked, aghast.

"No, I'm not drunk," he said with an obvious eye roll, only glancing toward her for a moment before moving over to the desk and starting to give it the same treatment as he continued his search.

"Then what in the world are you doing?" she asked, letting loose a small sigh as he answered in the negative.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked, accidentally tipping over a cup with at least a dozen pens in it, sending them all scattering to the ground. But like the papers, he made no move to pick them back up. He just started to go through the drawers next. His parents continued to stand in the same spots they had been since he came in, staring as he proceeded to single handedly destroy the living room. He ignored them as he left the desk and moved to the coat rack, shoving his hand into each and every pocket, pulling out whatever he found and just dropping it right where he stood. Tsunomon stayed dutifully silent; though he winced each time a new item hit the floor.

Nancy glared at him. "It looks like you're destroying your father's living room, young man."

Matt made a noncommittal sound as he left the coat rack and began to look through everything sitting out on the counter. He checked the overhead cabinets before abandoning the kitchen and heading toward the dining table. Nancy started across the apartment toward him, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"C'mon… where are they…?"

Nancy grabbed Matt's hand before he grabbed the car keys from behind the dining table centerpiece and shook her head at him. The last thing she wanted was her oldest son driving in this state, drunk or not. The nineteen-year-old's jaw tightened.

"Mom, I need my keys. I need to go."

Nancy pulled his hand away from the table and gently took the keys so that she was holding onto them instead. "No, Matt. You're going to hurt yourself. Or someone else. Possibly both with the state you're in. It is time you calm it down."

Matt angrily jerked his hand out of his mother's grip and glared past her towards his dad. "She can't take those! They're my keys; it's my car!"

Hiroaki looked between mother and son before stepping forward and speaking lowly, "Your mother's right, son. You're in no state to be driving." Matt growled in frustration and muttered something that sounded like, "I don't have time for this," before Hiroaki continued, "Where do you need to get to so badly?"

"Highton View Terrace."

Both Nancy and Hiroaki stared in confusion as those words left his mouth. They glanced toward each other soundlessly before Nancy managed to get out, "What? Why?"

Matt looked between the two of them for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I talked to TK—"

"He woke up?" Nancy gasped.

"No, but just listen! I _talked_ to him, while I was sleeping, in this Dream World. He needs help! He needs me to get to him through a gateway that _might_ be in Highton View Terrace, and that's why I have to go there!"

"Son, you were dreaming," Hiroaki said gently as he moved to join his ex-wife and child, soothingly resting a hand upon Matt's arm.

Matt let out a cry of frustration as he spun around, turning his back on both of his parents. "You aren't listening to me!" His hand caught a nearby vase and sent it crashing to the ground, shattering, and sending porcelain shards across the floor. He winced and rubbed his hands over his tired eyes. Nancy and Hiroaki exchanged worried glances.

"I think you should go to bed, Matt," Nancy said, resting a hand on her son's back. "You're exhausted, and you have class in the morning."

Matt turned to stare at his mother with his mouth hanging open. "You can't be serious. I'm not going. You cannot possibly expect me to go to class after this! I… TK needs me! He's in danger! He's in some kind of Dream Realm where there's this digimon keeping him there! Tell them, Tsunomon! He's—"

"That is ENOUGH, Matt!" Nancy snapped, silencing both her son and the digimon before he could even attempt to speak. "I _know_ that you want to be able to do something for your brother, but making up imaginary Dream Realms and digimon that are keeping him there is not the way to go about it. I am not going to discuss this anymore. You are going to go to bed, and you are going to go to your class tomorrow, and then you can go to the hospital to see your brother again. But you are going to stop this nonsense right now."

Hiroaki didn't say anything, but he was a silent supporter of his ex-wife.

"MOM!" Matt exclaimed angrily. "He's in a coma because of a digimon!"

Nancy pointed her finger towards his bedroom door, her face stormy. "Yamato Ishida, go to your room, and go to _bed_. Digimon are not responsible for this as much as you might be wishing it were so that you could do something about it. Quit this before you hurt yourself. I cannot handle both of my sons being in the hospital. Have I made myself clear?"

Matt's eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze onto his father who offered no form of support. He turned, grabbed Tsunomon, and stormed into his room. "Crystal."

A second later, the door to Matt's room slammed shut. The worried mother lifted her hands to her temples and blew out a breath, squeezing her eyes closed to block out the tears. She had just lost her temper with her oldest son, the one that she was typically so cautious around because of their tumultuous relationship, and had yelled at him for trying to do something that he thought would be constructive in helping his brother. Hiroaki let out a small sigh as he placed a comforting hand on her arm before he started to pick up the mess around the room.

"He doesn't have to go to class tomorrow," Nancy whispered softly as she wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the door he had just stormed through. "I don't know what made me say that. He's so upset; it would be horrible of me to make him go to class and suffer through that with TK in the hospital. I should go talk to him and apologize… He probably hates me."

"Let him cool off, Nancy," Hiroaki said gruffly as he began to pick up the remnants of the broken vase. He looked at his ex-wife. "Matt doesn't hate you."

"He needed me to be supportive, and I just pulled the rug out from under him, Hiroaki. What kind of mother does that?"

"One who is exhausted, stressed, and worried about both of her children," Hiroaki said in his usual quiet demeanor. "Come on, let's take the advice you gave to Matt and get some sleep. I'll finish cleaning this mess in the morning. Why don't you take my bed? I'll take the couch tonight."

x X x

The soft keening wails that had come from the light-haired teen had finally stopped, dissolved into tearful hiccups and impossible intakes of breath. TK was trembling as he clung desperately to his brother's corpse. At first, when he'd wrapped his arms around his brother, Matt had still been warm. Now, his body was cold and lifeless. He had tried, helplessly, to will his brother to wake up, for the magic of the Dream Realm to work its life-giving healing on his brother as it did on ExVeemon all those years ago.

_The dead can't be healed, TK, even if the World of Dreams could heal humans…_

TK was numb, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he rocked back and forth holding his brother. He didn't even care that he was now covered in the Child of Friendship's blood. TK's head was bowed forward as he sucked in one hitching breath after another. He just couldn't fill his lungs no matter how much air he tried to draw into them.

"…Matt… come on, Matt… you can't be dead, Matt…" the teen urged desperately.

He had cried until he couldn't cry anymore. He didn't have any tears left, so now the inconsolable teenager's shoulders just shook silently with the heartbreaking loss. If… if Matt hadn't come here to help him, if he hadn't asked him to come back… if… if… if… That horrible two letter word was filled with more self-blame than it had ever been. TK readjusted his arms around his brother's shoulders, clutching the lifeless form to him. If Matt was gone, then a part of TK was gone too.

"…I need you…" he whispered hoarsely into Matt's shoulder.

Calumon laid stomach down on the ground, the dirt and leaves sticking to his little body from where he had been dropped when TK had first caught sight of the horrific scene. He was watching the heart-breaking picture in front of him in a sort of zombie-like trance. His hot tears were silent where TK's had been wails of despair and agony. The fact that TK was quiet now worried him. The little digimon caught sight of the digidestined's trembling shoulders as he held the lifeless body and shrank back further. The nightmares were doing it again. _Had_ done it again. There was another life on Nocnitmon's hands, and soon there would be two. He was going to have to sit there and watch the much more powerful being as she did what she planned with TK.

Nocnitmon glided from the shadows in front of them, emerging as if from the trees themselves, and looked toward Calumon with a chilling smile. Calumon shrunk back from her, then locked his jaw and opened his mouth to say some warning to TK. Nocnitmon twitched a finger, and Calumon's mouth closed like his lips had been glued together. Even if he had spoken, the words would likely have fallen on deaf ears.

TK didn't see _her_ because he wasn't looking at anything. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and he didn't care if Devimon reappeared behind him and stabbed him through the back. He really just didn't care. TK trembled, sucking in breaths that felt like they burned in his lungs, agonizing to him as he clung to Matt. Each breath he took was one more that Matt would never take again. Nocnitmon's appearance rippled, morphing into that of the boy's best friend and unrequited love.

Oh, she wasn't done with him yet.

x X x

Nancy had fallen asleep to the intoxicating silence of the empty bedroom, and the scent that was uniquely and completely Hiroaki filling her senses. She'd felt comforted in a way, but even with that small bit of comfort, she had fallen asleep with a heavy heart and worried over her children in her mind. She couldn't have been asleep more than an hour or two when the sound of the phone ringing woke her with a start. She jerked awake, groggy eyes staring blurrily into the darkened room.

The phone continued to ring, and Nancy squinted her eyes at the glowing numerals on the alarm clock. 12:07 AM. Her heart was in her throat instantly as she picked up the receiver, not caring that she wasn't in her own home. The overhead light suddenly flipped on as Hiroaki stepped into the room, having been woken up by the phone as well.

"Hello?" Nancy asked with sleep still clouding her vocal chords. She cleared her throat and repeated herself, "Hello?"

"May I speak with Mr Ishida, please?" a man's voice said on the other end. Nancy could already hear the tone in the voice that was speaking to her. It was the tone of someone who had the unfortunate job of relaying bad news.

"Is this the hospital? This is Ms Takaishi speaking. What's going on?" Nancy said, moistening her lips as she slid her legs from under the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped slightly as Hiroaki joined her, watching her closely while she spoke on the phone.

"This is Dr Kinjo from the hospital. It's about your son," the man on the other end said.

Nancy reached next to her for her ex-husband's hand, but Hiroaki was already reaching for her to supply it. He couldn't hear what the person Nancy was speaking to said, but he wanted to give Nancy whatever support she might need. From the look on her face, he knew she needed it. It couldn't be good news. Unless…

"Did he wake up?" Nancy asked, sounding hopeful yet doubtful in the same four words.

"I wish that I could say that was what I was calling for, ma'am," the doctor said gently, "but no. In fact, the reason that I'm calling is because I'm worried that he may not last the night."

Nancy dropped the phone. It fell to the floor like it was falling in slow motion, and she just watched it hit the carpet and bounce. Hiroaki moved to the pick the phone up, reading his ex-wife's body language and feeling his stomach twist into an uncomfortable knot. He pressed the phone against his ear and laid a hand on his ex-wife's shoulder.

"This is TK's father," Hiroaki said. "What's the matter with our son?"

"About thirty minutes ago, your son's heart rate took a sudden and rapid elevation. It's well over 100 beats per minute and still rising. It should be around 70 or so as a resting heart rate, but just now, when I left his room to call you, it was around 135. We haven't yet determined the cause or been able to get his pulse back down to a more normal and safe level," the doctor said.

Hiroaki rubbed slow circles on his ex-wife's back as he listened.

"If it weren't so elevated and continuing to rise, there wouldn't be cause for concern. The heart can beat at an elevated rate for short periods of time to cope with stress. Under normal circumstances, it is a perfectly standard physiological response to stress. I believe it's due to an increased sympathetic stimulation, a psychological stress of some sort, with the result being the raise in his heart rate. It's like he has taken the fight-or-flight response and is unable to turn it off," Dr Kinjo explained.

Hiroaki cleared his throat, disbelieving at how incredibly calm he was taking his news. His son was _dying_. He should have dropped the phone like Nancy had. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, yet somehow he still managed to speak. It was just like he had shut down part of his mind and somehow another part turned on so he could manage to calmly ask a question, "What about giving him some sort of medication to calm it down?"

"We've attempted several different means of intervention," the doctor said, "but none of them are working. Now, I can explain the rest to you over the phone, or it can wait until you arrive at the hospital, but if we aren't able to bring your son's heart rate down soon, it's unlikely that he's going to the last the night. I thought you would like the opportunity to say goodbye."

"We'll be there soon," Hiroaki said, numbly hanging up the phone. Nancy was staring at him with haunted eyes, and he quickly enveloped her in a hug. "Get dressed. We need to go to the hospital. I'll go get Matt."

x X x

"TK… what have you done?"

TK lifted his teary eyes to look blurrily towards the voice. It was the girl he'd fallen in love with when he had been merely eight-years-old. His face dissolved into tears again as he saw her. When he saw the accusation on her face, TK opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He just ended up choking on them and lowering his head. He'd thought that he didn't have any more tears left, and he couldn't have been more wrong. They started leaking hotly down his cheeks again.

"What have you _done_, Takeru?" Kari asked again.

TK's lower lip quivered and he lifted his eyes to look at his best friend again. He was still holding onto handfuls of Matt's shirt, trembling. "…I…" He didn't know what to say. There was nothing he _could_ say. He couldn't say it wasn't his fault. He felt like it was. Matt had come back to help him. Matt had tried to protect him, and it had gotten the older digidestined killed. "…K…Kari…"

Calumon's eyes were shut tightly against the scene. Unable to assist, not wanting to watch, but still being forced to listen.

Tears brimmed in TK's blue-green eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "…He was trying to help me… he… he was just…" TK hiccupped, choked on the words, and squeezed his eyes shut again. "…I didn't mean for…" Another hitching breath made his words all but incoherent. "…I didn't mean for this to happen. Matt…"

Kari was walking toward him, and TK wiped his tear stained cheeks on his shoulders, not wanting to release his hands from where he had clutched his brother's shirt so tightly. He expected her to come, hug him, dry his tears… cry with him over Matt. When she stopped in front of Matt's body and kicked TK hard in the chest, he sucked in a pained breath and yelped. He was so startled that he let go of Matt as he lost balance and fell back into the grass. Matt's body slumped limply back to the ground, while Kari stepped over him to put herself between the boy and his dead brother.

"You _killed_ him," Kari accused.

TK's jaw dropped, but he didn't even try to defend himself against the accusation. Kari stepped in closer, an unforgiving and angered look on her face, causing TK to backup slightly. He wiped at his cheeks with his fingers and looked up at his best friend in sorrow. This couldn't be real. Matt couldn't be dead… yet the evidence of it was there in TK's blood stained hands and clothes. But Kari… TK pressed himself against the tree behind him and pulled his knees to his chest as he looked up at her in wounded astonishment.

"…I didn't mean for it to… happen…"

Kari loomed over him. For such a short girl, she _loomed_. "Your brother is still dead, Takeru. And his blood is on your hands."

TK looked at his brother's corpse again and something within the boy crumbled even further. With his face still blotchy from tears, his heart still thundering away, and his breaths still coming in painful gasps, he looked up at his best friend for seven years, searching for forgiveness. It wasn't there. Instead, TK saw something smoldering behind her eyes now. Some feverish light that spoke of glee rather than devastation and heartbreak that should have been present over losing a good friend. A pleasure at seeing TK broken and in so much pain over it.

"You're not Kari…" TK muttered as the realization hit him.

Something inside the Child of Hope snapped. TK's eyes narrowed, and his teeth ground together, biting the insides of his mouth. His fists balled up at his sides and with a primal yell, he leapt at the imposter that was wearing his best friend's face.

"_MURDERER!_"

Calumon's eyes shot open, and he looked with shock as TK tackled the imposter to the ground with a large thump. Calumon's surprise could not even come close to Nocnitmon's, whose outward appearance rippled before reverting to its true form as she hit the ground. Kari was here before, TK realized as he stared down at the possible digimon. What if she came back…? Fear gripped him like nothing before, but instead of paralyzing him, it possessed him like a madman as he gripped the front of her cloak in his fists.

"Where is she!?"

Nocnitmon said nothing as she suddenly vanished out from beneath him and appeared at the other end of the clearing. TK caught himself as she disappeared and pushed himself to his feet. His eyes darkened now with righteous fury.

"If you've hurt her… you'll have wished you had killed me first," he swore.

Nocnitmon, visibly shocked though she was at his resilience, smiled. The ground beneath TK's feet began to sink and dissolve like quicksand. It was doing the same under Matt's body, causing the form of the golden-haired youth to sink into the ground. Nocnitmon calmly folded her hands in front of herself. "Patience, dear child. I was getting to that. But death isn't your destiny… I just need you to break."

The words washed over TK who was looking over toward Matt's disappearing body, hardly seeming to notice that he himself was now ankle deep and sinking faster into the ground. "NO!"

As if something out there were listening to his command, light suddenly exploded around them. For a moment, TK was blinded by the white hot light that was encompassing the entire area. He was the source of the light, he realized, but it wasn't like before. Before the light had been comforting, a cradle of hope, and this time the light was filled with the anger and thirst for vengeance. Ignoring the small voice in the back of his head that sounded remarkably like Kari and was telling him that this was not right, he forced his eyes open as he held onto the light.

He was no longer sinking, but his feet were now encased in the ground to the point that he lost his balance. His arms wind milled, and he fell backwards on his rear. He stared down at his glowing hands for just a moment before he was looking toward Matt and felt a sigh leave his lips as he saw him no longer sinking either.

Nocnitmon took several moments to recover, blinded by the light worse than TK, but once she did, her jaw dropped. TK had actually managed to _stop_ what she was doing; this was obviously not something that she had foreseen. TK didn't think about any of that, though. He was just focused on how he wasn't about to let that happen to Matt. Hadn't she already done enough to his brother? TK jerked his legs to free them and, amazingly enough, they pulled free from the ground like they had never been trapped at all. Still shining and his skin starting to feel hot against his own body, TK looked at the woman in front of him.

"Tell me where she is. _Now_."

x X x

Matt Ishida was furious. He laid on his back in his bed on top of the mattress that he had spent the last few hours punching in frustration every couple of minutes. His teeth were grinding together so hard that it was audible. Tsunomon had long since abandoned the bed, probably afraid of being in the line of fire of Matt's anger. The teenager had heard his partner leave the room earlier for a bit before returning, and he hadn't bothered to ask what he had done. He was too angry and scared to care. Why wouldn't his parents listen to him? Out of all of the digidestineds' parents, he had always considered his mom and dad to be the most understanding out of all of them when it came to the Digital World. And now, when he needed to them really understand, they had failed him.

He felt betrayed and like they were betraying TK by not believing him. After everything that their family had been through and experienced, he would have thought they wouldn't have even hesitated in believing him. Or, at least, taken the second to sit down and listen to him. And worse yet, his mother actually expected him to go to _class_ tomorrow? He was waiting now, giving his parents time to go to sleep, so that he could sneak out and head back to Joe's. He wouldn't be able to complete the personal mission he had given himself, but it was better than laying here and doing nothing.

He had wanted to go to Highton View Terracen and simply try to go to the Digital World. With BlackWarGreymon's protection in place, he figured _something_ weird would have to happen if he tried.

"But," as Tsunomon had reminded him several times on the walk over, "there's no guarantee that a gate will even open, let alone if it will actually lead to the World of Dreams. You could get stuck in another dimension with no way to get back or help TK!"

But at least that would have been doing something. Not… _this_.

_I won't let you down, TK_.

Sighing in frustration, Matt sat up and ran his hands through his hair. He was determined to help his little brother. He glanced at his clock. It was a few minutes past midnight now; his parents ought to be asleep.

"Let's get out of here, Tsunomon," he whispered as he gathered his little legless friend into his arms.

"Alright," the digimon responded.

Matt was just about to head to his bedroom door when he heard the main house line ring. It was way too late for a social call even from worried family members. _Unless it's Grandpa in France, and he got the time difference wrong…_ he thought hopefully. The phone rang again, and he heard it stop, indicating that his parents must have picked it up. A little tendril of worry gnawed at his insides. He hoped he wasn't too late.

_Hang on, TK. I'm coming back; I promise._

Matt stared at his door in the darkness.

"Matt?" Tsunomon asked, but Matt couldn't find it in him to respond.

Several minutes passed before Hiroaki stuck his head into the room, looking somewhat lost. He stepped in as soon as he spotted Matt sitting there. "I should have known you'd be awake."

"Hrn," was the sharp response Matt gave, unable to muster anymore of a reply that wouldn't be filled with aggravation and resentment.

"That was the hospital," Hiroaki said, sitting down on the bed next to Matt. There was sadness in his father's eyes, and Matt's heart missed a few beats. "They called because TK is—"

"No!" Matt said harshly, jumping up out of bed. He was holding Tsunomon so tightly that he knew he had to be hurting him, but the fear was clenching around his heart making it hard for him to see straight. "Don't you say it. Don't you dare say it, Dad. I am not losing my little brother!"

Hiroaki rested his hands in his lap and lowered his head, unable to look at the intensity in Matt's eyes. He sighed heavily, weary shoulders sinking forward. "Matt… we're going to the hospital, because the doctors don't think TK is going to make it through the ni—"

"He's not going to die, Dad! I can help him! I know you don't believe me, but I can help him!" Matt exclaimed, nearly hysterical. "I'm not going to watch TK die! I'm not going to sit there and watch him when I can do something about it! And instead of letting me try to help him, you've kept me here, because you don't believe me!"

Hiroaki flinched, putting a hand to his chest. Matt's words had hit him hard somewhere, but he could tell just from watching him that he still didn't believe him. He had on that face of cold sympathy as he looked at his son with an expression that told him how worried he was for his sanity. Tsunomon looked up at Matt before wiggling out of his arms, knowing that he couldn't get between this father and son problem.

"Matt, we should be there in case we have to say goodbye."

"No! NO! I'm NOT telling my little brother goodbye," Matt practically growled. He pointed toward the door, shaking all over. He couldn't believe his father could be that stupid and insensitive and… "Get out!" Matt snapped vehemently.

"Matt, you should really come with—"

"GET. OUT."

"Son—"

The nineteen-year-old grabbed his father roughly by the shirt and jerked him off of the bed. "I said _get out_. So GET OUT!"

He actually gave Hiroaki a hard shove toward the door, blue eyes burning with anger and tears that he was forcefully holding at bay. Hiroaki watched his eldest son for a long moment before closing his eyes and letting out a sad breath. With a defeated nod, he turned and walked out of the room. Matt stalked up to the door and slammed it with enough force to rock the apartment's foundation before he turned and fell back against it as the shock of the news slowly fell over him. Finally, his legs gave way, and his head fell into his hands as the sobs began to wrack his body.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. Not even on my birthday!

**Author's Note**: I can't believe we've come full circle! It's my birthday today, and once again, as a birthday present to myself, I'm posting another chapter of Blurring Boundaries! And it's one that I have a love-hate relationship with. I wrote this chapter a few times, and this is the version I ended up posting. I hope you all like it! Next chapter... it's the moment you all have been waiting for! DUN DUN DUUUUN... See you next month!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

Kari couldn't see anything. Everything was white. All white, encompassing, comforting, as it expanded all around her. With each breath, she could feel the comforting warmth of the light filling her lungs and spreading to the tips of her fingers and toes. A breeze flowed around her, and she feelt her hair dance with the wind against the back of her neck.

"_If you've hurt her…" _

The voice sounded suddenly but faintly. She perked up, trying to find the source of the voice, but no matter which way she turned, everything looked the same. All white, all around.

"Hello?" she called out, and she heard her voice echo back to her. "_Hello… hello… hello…"_

She should have been worried about where she was or how she was going to get out of this situation, but she wasn't. She felt quite content to stay right here, bathing in the warmth, but a prickle of worry started to gnaw on the back of her mind. Not for herself, no, she was fine, but for the voice…

"…_Death isn't your destiny… I just need you to break." _

A second voice, not the same as the first. This time, it was louder, but as she spun toward the source, she still saw nothing. The worry was more than a gnaw now as it began to chew at her insides, making her stomach twist uncomfortably. She picked a direction and started to run. The first voice, he needed her help. It needed her now. How she knew this, she wasn't sure, but she had to get to him.

"Tai!" (_"Tai… Tai… Tai…"_) "Gatomon!" (_"Mon… mon… mon…"_)

Neither her brother or partner responded. _How am I supposed to help him alone?_

"_NO!_"

She jumped, startled, and spun around. "TK…" The name fell past her lips as she saw him standing there. He was transparent, as if a ghost, and he was looking off somewhere past her even as he seemed to lose his balance and fall backwards. Kari turned to look over her shoulder, but as far as she could see, it was only him and the whiteness all around. She turned back to him and took a step closer. Tear tracks were smeared down his face, and his normally bright blue eyes were more of a defeated green. She reached out to touch him but froze when her fingers passed right through his hand. Her eyes widened.

"TK…" she trembled.

A sudden angry heat spread across her skin, and she yanked her hand back with a yelp. She cradled her hand to her chest protectively as she watched him, alarmed. There were tears, yes, but she realized that the expression on his face was not anguish as she had first guessed – but fury.

"TK, what's going on?" she tried to ask, but again, he made no move as if he even heard her. "TK, whatever you're doing, you need to stop. This isn't right. Something's not right. This isn't you!"

Kari looked around frantically, trying to see anything else within the world of white, but whatever TK was staring at and getting so worked up over was something beyond her eyes. TK was standing again when she turned back toward him, and she took a step back at the anger that was spread across his face. It was so unlike him, so unlike the happy golden boy that she had come to know over the years.

"_Tell me where she is. Now._"

"TK… can you even hear me?" she asked quietly. "You need to know… TK, you need to know…" Tears started to gather in her eyes as she forced herself to take a step closer, even as she could feel the unnatural heat radiating from him. It was surrounding her, clinging to her skin and sinking into her lungs like a smoke. "You've always been so strong for me. You've always been my rock. You've saved me more times than I count. This time… TK, this time, I'm saving you. I swear it!"

She made to throw her arms around him even as she knew that she would only hug air when she felt somebody catch her. Her eyes were squeezed shut against any blind hope that she had somehow managed to connect with TK. _I woke up_, she realized tearfully, _and it's Tai's chest I'm crying against right now._ Kari let out a disappointed sob as she clung to her brother's cotton t-shirt.

"Kari…?"

She froze. That wasn't Tai's voice. She slowly lifted her head and stared into the blue eyes of her longtime best friend.

"Am I dreaming?" she whispered.

"Yes," TK responded. "…No? I don't know. Are you _real_?"

"Yes," she said.

Then, it was his turn to throw his arms around her, holding her close and tight as he clung to her. She let her eyes fall shut as she held him right back.

"I thought," he murmured suddenly in her ear. "I thought… something… something had happened to you…"

Her eyes opened at that statement, and she turned her face to look at him. _Tell me where she is. Now. _His words rung in her head as she stared at him, so close and so broken. He had been talking about her, _worried_ about her. She pulled back just enough to stare up into his face. His eyes opened slowly, blue staring into amber, as she brought up a hand to rest against his face.

"I'm fine," she promised. She looked around them; the white was gone. They were standing in the middle of their high school gymnasium in the very spot of TK's accident. The bleachers were empty, the electronic scoreboards were shut off, and it was only them standing in front of one of the hoops. "How did we…?"

TK blinked as he looked around as well. "I thought you did it," he admitted.

_Did I…?_

She looked back at him as she remembered the heat from earlier. Looking him over, he seemed fine, but his eyes told a different story. The hope that she expected to see was all but gone. Just a deep seated sadness remained.

"TK…" she started quietly.

He looked up at her and pulled away suddenly as if he just realized that she was actually here. "You have to go," he said. "Now. Please. Before she finds you."

"I don't want to leave you," she said.

"No, Kari, you have to. Please… if she finds you…" He cut himself off and turned away from her, but she caught the sound of his breath hitching as some terrible emotion started to take over.

"I'll come back," she promised, not wanting to cause him anymore hurt. "We all will."

"No!" he shouted, turning toward her in a panic. "You can't! Just stay away!"

Kari took a step back, not knowing how to respond right away. "TK…"

"…I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me…"

His voice was sounding faint again, as if he was talking through glass. The white was returning, and TK was starting to fade along with it. She was waking up. _No!_ _I don't want to!_ She tried to fight it, but it was no use. The room was rapidly becoming whitewashed, and she saw TK's watery blue eyes watching her sadly.

"We're coming for you!" she cried, trying to reach for him, but she touched only air. "We're going to save you! Just hold on a little longer!"

Then, through the white, she started to see a dark shadow form behind the unaware basketball player. She felt her heart clench in her chest as the darkness shaped into that of a woman. _Nocnitmon_. Kari forgot to breathe. Nocnitmon looked up, past TK, and stared straight at Kari as a smirk pulled on her lips. For a moment, she felt frozen. Then—

"_TK!"_

Like being plunged into cold water, Kari felt herself suddenly yanked back to the waking world. She gasped as she sat up, her heart beating loudly in her chest, as she took in the darkness of her bedroom. Gatomon was standing next to her, wide awake, with her blue eyes wide and almost glowing in the night as her fur stood on end. A sudden _thump!_ startled her as she turned and saw Tai standing there, having just leapt off of the top bunk.

"Kari, what's wrong? I heard you say TK's name," Tai said quickly but quietly.

"Said?" Gatomon repeated, still staring at her partner. "You screamed it right in my ear! And even before that, you were saying things in your sleep… groaning, tossing and turning… You're covered in sweat, too…"

Kari brought a hand up to her forehead to find that Gatomon was telling the truth as she wiped the cold sweat from her face. She brought a hand up to her heart, trying to calm the pounding that was still sounding so loudly there. She could practically feel her blood pumping in her ears.

"I, uh…"

"You talked to him, didn't you?" Tai said quietly.

Her eyes popped open as she looked up at Tai. "How'd you know?" she whispered.

"I knew you would," he admitted. "If anyone could, I knew it would be you. What did he say?"

For a moment, Kari simply stared at her brother. She could tell from the very serious look in his eyes that he was being completely honest. He never doubted her for a second or wondered if she was being completely honest. This was the same boy who did not question it when it came to her odd ability to sense the darkness or when her instincts told her that something bad was coming. He would just nod at the knowledge, and then prepare himself for what he deemed the inevitable.

_But I didn't foresee this happening… I couldn't prevent this…_

"Kari?" Tai said.

_Keep it together, Kari! This is no time to fall apart. _

"He… He didn't say much of anything," she finally responded, feeling her breath returning to her. "He was so scared, though. So…" _Broken_, she finished silently, before deciding that she shouldn't add that part for Tai and Gatomon. "He told me to stay away," she remembered suddenly, "that he didn't want our help, that we shouldn't come!"

Tai shook his head as heard that. "He has to know we're going to come anyway."

"He said he didn't want anyone else to get hurt because of him," she added. "What did he mean?"

"I don't know, Kari," Tai admitted, but his face was steady and determined as he spoke. "But we're going to get to him, alright? You don't need to worry about that."

"Tai, I… I saw Nocnitmon."

Tai and Gatomon both gasped as they stared at her. Tai abandoned his spot by her bed and sat down next to her as he watched her. "Did she see you?" he asked in a hard voice.

"Maybe," she admitted, not at all concerned about that as she looked up at her brother. "Tai, I'm scared."

Her brother put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder. It scared her that Tai didn't have a response to that, and she wondered if he was scared, too. She had long since grown out of the idea that Tai never got scared. She knew her brother better than that. He got scared just like everyone else, but what made him the most courageous person she knew was the way he handled his fear. He faced it head on; running away had never been Tai Kamiya's style; and she was comforted by the fact that it would not start to become his style today.

The sudden _beep!_ of his D-Terminal startled both siblings before he let her go to grab it up. Immediately, his face hardened as he read the message, and Kari felt her heart skip a beat.

"Who is it? What does it say?" she asked as he moved to get dressed.

"It's from Matt," Tai said as he pulled on a pair of two-day old jeans over his pajama pants, not caring to change completely. "He said something's happened. We need to get to Izzy's now."

Kari didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed her gray sweater to throw over her tanktop and slipped on some shoes, not bothering to really dress as Tai was already grabbing his keys and heading out the door. They only stopped to grab their digivices, cell phones, and D-Terminals. Gatomon was right on her heels as the two siblings raced out of the apartment and down to the parking lot, not running into a single soul on the way down. Everybody was already probably in bed, sleeping soundly. As the car started up, Kari realized that they hadn't even told their parents where they were going.

Tai cursed suddenly and hit the steering wheel angrily, causing Kari and Gatomon in her lap to jump. "I shouldn't have let Matt leave earlier!" he snapped.

"You wouldn't have been able to stop him, Tai," Kari said lowly. "Nobody could have. He wanted to help TK in any way he could."

"Izzy told him that it was a stupid idea, and that it probably wouldn't work! What was he thinking? I'm usually the reckless one!"

As if to prove his point, he turned the car sharply onto Izzy's street, causing both Kari and Gatomon to yelp when they very narrowly missed a parked car. Gatomon leveled a glare onto the former gogglehead while Kari dropped her head into her hand, realizing that now was not the time to snap at her brother about his terrible driving.

"Do you think something happened to him while he was heading to Highton View Terrace?" Kari asked instead.

"I don't know," Tai admitted. "Maybe. He just shouldn't have gone alone!"

Gatomon and Kari winced as they made another sharp turn into the parking lot of Izzy's apartment. They were finally allowed to breathe again when they found a parking spot and the car finally came to a full stop. Kari found herself thankful that no officers had been along the route, as she was pretty sure that her brother had broken quite a few traffic laws on the way here. Not nearly as in shape as her brother, Kari nearly groaned when he ignored the elevator in favor of taking the stairs two at a time. She managed to keep up with him, though, with Gatomon running up the stairs next to her.

As they came out onto Izzy's floor, she saw the door of the Izumi apartment open as if they had been expected. Light spilled out through the doorway, illuminating the otherwise dark and quiet hallway, as Izzy stuck his head out. His eyes widened as he saw Tai and Kari running up to him.

"Hey," he said, watching as the two Kamiya siblings stopped to catch their breath. "I was just propping the door open. Everybody's on their way, and I figured we might as well it open instead of dealing with knocking every few minutes."

"Izzy, do you know what's going on?" Gatomon asked.

"I have a pretty good idea," he said before moving to head inside, gesturing for them to follow. "Joe's been at the hospital "volunteering," and he sent me a message just before Matt did."

_Hospital…?_ Kari felt her heart clench.

"I thought you told everyone to go home and get some sleep," Tai accused.

"I did," Izzy said. "Everyone except for Joe and me. Joe offered to keep an eye on things at the hospital, and I thought it was a good idea. And as for me, well… I still needed to find a way to get us to the World of Dreams."

"Gennai," Tai, Kari, and Gatomon said in surprise at the same time.

The digimon entity was clad in his usual robe, standing by the dining table. His expression was grim even as he managed a small smile and nod in greeting. He wasn't the only one wandering around the apartment either. Mrs Izumi was bustling around in the kitchen with a robe covering her cotton nightgown, and she called out a _hello!_ to Tai and Kari (who bowed back). The smell of cinnamon and bread was filling the air, coming from whatever was baking in the oven.

Mr Izumi stepped out of the master bedroom, also dressed in pajamas, and walked up to his son to put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?"

Izzy looked up at his father and shook his head. "No, Dad, I got it." He walked back to the table and sat down in front of his laptop, which was already set out and on, before looking back at his father with a grateful but tense smile. "Thanks."

"Did you figure out anything?" Tai asked, and Kari saw the way that her brother definitely was noting the pajamas that Izzy also had on.

"I did. I think I know how we can get to him. I was just about to go to sleep so that I could tell everyone in the morning when Joe called me," he said. His face was twisted in guilt and worry as his fingers started to fly across the keyboard. "I thought we had more time."

Kari opened her mouth to ask him how they were going to get to him when they all heard the sound of pounding feet approaching. She wasn't exactly surprised when the haggard appearance of Matt raced through the doorway. His face was red and pale at the same time, and Tsunomon was being held in a death grip in his arms. Tear tracks, much as she had seen on TK's face earlier, were visible down his face, leaving his eyes swollen and red rimmed.

"Hello, Matt," Mr Izumi said as he stepped forward and shook Matt's hand, more in a consoling manner than a greeting.

Matt only managed a nod before Mr Izumi stepped aside, and Tai stepped into his place. He threw his arms around him in a tight embrace, and Kari swallowed down her own lump. Tai hadn't missed Izzy's brief mention of the hospital either. Tsunomon jumped out of Matt's arms and joined Gatomon in one of the dining room table chairs, silent but observant.

"Something's happened, hasn't it?" Tai asked lowly, his hands still resting on Mat's shoulders as he finally pulled away to search his best friend's face. The blonde was still dressed in clothes he had been wearing earlier.

"They…" Matt swallowed back a piece of the lump, just enough to get a few whispered words through. "They don't think he's going to last the night…"

Kari gasped, her hands flying to her mouth and her amber eyes filling with tears. _No…_ She fell back, and she knew she was lucky when her back landed against a wall. Tai's grip on Matt's shoulders tightened, and he had to take several slow deep breaths before he could manage to pull himself away.

"Then… we need to act now," Tai said, trying sound strong. He spun around and faced Gennai and Izzy to speak when there was suddenly a ringing throughout the apartment. Tai pulled his cell phone out of his sweater pocket and checked the name. For a second, he hesitated before he turned to look at Matt. "It's your dad."

"Ignore it," Matt said immediately as he moved to the table, his eyes staring into Izzy and Gennai intently. "How do I get to TK?"

"It's complicated," Izzy said, his eyes avoiding Matt's as if afraid to see his expression.

Considering the way that a vein nearly popped out of Matt's neck as he said that, it wasn't exactly a surprise as to why. "Then _un-_complicate it."

Izzy took a breath and forced himself to look up at the other boy. "It's not that simple. We still don't know how Kari and the others got to the other world in the first place!"

Another phone started to go off, and Matt growled in annoyance. Kari jumped when she realized it was coming from her and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. The name _TK's Mom _glared up at her, and she hesitated. Sensing his sister's unease, Tai took the phone from her and looked at the name as well. He looked at Matt apprehensively.

"It's your mother," he said.

Matt didn't even bother to respond to him. His entire focus was on Izzy. "Then find another way!" he demanded.

"We have," Gennai said calmly, crossing his arms. "We found what appears to be a portal in the Digital World that connects to the World of Dreams. Problem is, no matter which port you take to enter the Digital World, it will be a several hour flight to reach it."

Both cells began to ring again, and Tai smartly pressed the ignore button on both of them without even saying a thing to Matt. Kari could tell that Matt wasn't even really aware of the ringing going on; he was too focused on the conversation at hand.

"TK doesn't have a few hours!" Matt cried, banging his fist down on the table. Everybody flinched.

Two pairs of feet came skidding into the apartment behind them. Yolei was gasping for breath as she managed to breathe out, "Sorry… came as fast as we could…"

Nobody paid her or Cody any attention. Poromon started to scoff before Yolei's hand came to rest in front of his mouth gently as the tension in the room finally registered to the new arrivals.

"I _know_ that, Matt," Izzy started to say before the Izumi house phone rang.

Mrs Izumi made a move as if to answer it, but Matt sharply snapped, "Don't answer it!" She retracted her hand uncertainly.

Izzy frowned at him. "It's really hard to concentrate with the phones continually ringing, Matt," he pointed out.

"Both of your parents are calling," Tai said, just as his cell began to go off again. "It sounds urgent."

Matt grabbed Tai's arm and looked at him desperately with his blue eyes. Pleading, Matt looked around the room then back to his best friend. "Ignore them… turn the phones off… Please. I can't do this without you guys."

"Why aren't they calling your phone?" Tai asked, hitting the ignore button on Kari's cell phone just as it began to light up.

"I left mine at home. We need to do this," Matt said, looking at Gennai. "We _have_ to do this or my brother is going to die."

A stillness overcame the apartment before Mr Izumi acted first, taking three steps to the phone on the wall and ripping out the cord. Tai nodded and moved to turn off both of the cells. Quiet footsteps entering the apartment alerted him to more arrivals, and he turned to see Davis and Ken joining Yolei and Cody in the doorway entrance.

"Phones off," he ordered.

Ken, the only one with a phone, immediately reached into his sweater and pulled it out before shutting it off without protest.

Tai looked back at Matt and spoke quietly, "Your parents are going to kill you."

"Not if we save TK," Matt said.

"There has to be a way for us to get to him quicker," Kari said quietly as she finally approached the table and sat down shakily.

Davis walked up behind her and put his hands on the back of her chair. His face was covered in confusion, and he obviously had many questions he wanted to ask but was wisely keeping his mouth shut while the others continued their conversation. Kari knew that they had to be confused; if she hadn't been here from the beginning, she would have been. But she knew that they couldn't keep backpedalling the couldn't afford the time.

A sudden beep made Matt turn a warning glare onto Izzy. The computer genius raised his hand in surrender, knowing that Matt was thinking it was another phone, but he simply held up his D-Terminal to show it off. It was flashing with the notice of a new message.

"It's from Joe," Izzy said bracingly, waiting for Matt to bite his head off. But the rockstar said not a word allowing him to continue. "He was already at the hospital when you sent your message, Matt. He was the one that told me what was going on. I've told him my idea of how we could get to TK quickly, and he agrees that it could work."

Matt pulled out the chair in front of him and collapsed into it, relief written across his face. "How?"

Izzy shared an uncertain look with Gennai before he took a deep breath. "It's risky, but I can't think of another way around it. It's my belief… and Gennai and Joe agree with me… that this digimon, or whatever she is, isn't hurting TK."

"She's _killing him_, Izzy!" Matt snapped, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"I know that, Matt!" Izzy snapped back before taking a breath. "But she hasn't _yet_, and from what Kari told me, she has the ability to. So, why hasn't she?"

Matt ignored the rhetorical question. His eyes were pinned on the girl sitting next to him as Izzy's words fully sunk in. "You told him that? How do you know that?"

"I…"

"She talked to him," Davis answered for her when she seemed to suddenly lose her voice. He was eager to be able to contribute to the conversation going on around him. "We talked about it after you ran off suddenly."

"You talked to him!?" Matt cried, jumping up so quickly that it threw his chair back and made it topple over. Kari scooted back slightly in fear and alarm. "Why didn't you tell me!? What did he say!?"

"Hey!" Gatomon yelped from her spot on the sofa as she sensed danger toward her partner.

Tai immediately put himself between his best friend and his sister, not liking the way he was raising his voice to the much smaller chestnut haired girl. "Back off, Matt."

Matt ignored the warning as he tried to push Tai out of the way and rounded on Kari. "What did he _say_?" he repeated, raising his voice.

"Matt, stop," Tsunomon pleaded.

"I said, _back off!_" Tai yelled over the digimon as he pulled back his fist and punched Matt hard across the face.

Matt wasn't ready for the assault, and he fell backwards with a _crash_. The soft cries of "Matt!" and "Tai!" alerted everybody to Mimi and Sora's presence, their arrival having gone unnoticed by everybody who had been too caught up in the rising tension in the room. Even now, Matt was holding the side of his face with his eyes locked on Tai who had placed himself protectively in front of Kari.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Tai snapped. "You have completely lost your mind since TK got hurt, and at first, I forgave you for it because I would have been the _exact same_ had it been Kari. But this isn't like you! You think you're going to be any help to TK acting like a complete idiot? Think again! Get your head on straight, Matt, or just _go home_ and leave the rest to us!"

Nobody moved, and everybody scarcely breathed.

"Tai, I…"

Tai cut him off by taking a step toward him. His arms were crossed over his chest as he stared down at his best friend. "Now, are you ready to get to work, or are you going to continue to be a jerk to everybody that's trying to help?"

Matt swallowed hard and shook his head. "No. I'm good. I'm ready to focus."

Tai continued to watch his friend sternly for several moments before a small smile broke out, and he nodded. He reached out to grab Matt's hand and haul him back to his feet. "Good," he said easily.

The rocker reached up to tenderly touch his cheek while he rotated his jaw, testing out where the bruising would be forming from the much deserved smack back reality his best friend had given him. Tai simply smiled at his effort and threw an arm around his shoulders before he turned to look at his little sister. He gave a small nod for her to continue. Kari cleared her throat quietly.

"I didn't talk to him, not then," she clarified while Davis scratched the back of his head apologetically for giving the wrong impression. "I heard his voice." She looked up at Matt apologetically. "I thought it was a dream," she swore. "I didn't know it was… I would have said something sooner had I known…"

Matt immediately shook his head. "Kari, I'm sorry. I know you would never keep anything from me that could help TK." He took in a breath, trying to calm himself down. "What did you hear?"

"I think he was talking to Calumon, the digimon you mentioned. They were talking about… how to get TK to wake up. TK mentioned something about nightmares possibly scaring him awake, and Calumon said that it wouldn't be a good idea, because if died in his dream, he'd die in truth," she explained softly.

"You said _then_," Yolei pointed out quietly. "What does that mean?"

Kari hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I had another dream tonight. And… this time… I did talk to him."

Cody stepped forward, looking hopeful and scared all at once. "What did he say?"

For a moment, she didn't know what to say, wondering if she should have spoken at all. She looked from Gatomon to Tai, and they both nodded at her encouragingly. "He said… He said he thought something had happened to me, and then he told me that I had to go before she found me…"

"She?" Sora repeated. "As in Nocnitmon?"

Kari nodded. "I believe so. And then… I told him we were coming for him, and he told me that we should all stay away."

A hush came over the group as they heard this, uncertain on how to respond.

"So, what does that mean?" Matt asked, looking from Kari to Izzy.

Izzy hesitated, still obviously on edge from his previously display, before he answered, "This part is news to me. I'm not sure why he would want us to stay away, unless he thinks that we would be in danger if we went after him."

Davis waved that off as he said, "We always knew we would be in danger. What about the other part?"

"It means… if this digimon wanted TK dead, he'd probably already be dead," he said, speaking lowly. "She must be after something else."

"I don't understand how this helps us," Matt ground out.

"It doesn't," Gennai responded. "However, it does let us know that we might be able to buy a little more time."

"TK's heart is beating so fast due to some sort of psychological stimulation," Izzy said, picking up where he left off. "In other words, he's being scared to death. If we can get him to calm down, we might be able to buy enough time for us to be able to reach the portal to the World of Dreams."

"How do we get him to calm down?" Cody asked, stepping forward eagerly.

"By talking to him," the computer genius said.

Upamon made a confused face. "Like in the hospital?"

"No," Gennai said. "The way that Matt and now Kari did."

Matt perked up that, but Ken glanced at the others around the room in confusion. "I thought we weren't sure how that happened in the first place, let alone how to make sure that it happen again?"

"We didn't," Izzy agreed, "but with Kari's first explanation of how she was able to get close to communicating with TK, Gennai came up with a theory on how to recreate it."

"It's more than a theory," Gennai said with a small confident smile. "I'm positive I can send you back into TK's dream without the fear of waking up before you're ready."

"Then why don't we all do that?" Davis asked, staring at the two of them with wide eyes. "Why even go to the trouble of going through the Digital World?"

"Well, for one, we won't have our digivices by simply going to sleep, Davis," Izzy explained patiently.

"And for another, digimon don't dream like us, do they, Gennai?" Sora said, thoughtfully.

Gennai smiled back at her as he shook his head. "No, they do not. It's possible that there is a Dream World out there for digimon, but it is not the same world that TK is stuck in at this moment."

"Okay, I'll do it," Matt said. His nervous energy was returning and about ready to burst. "What are we waiting for?"

"Matt, there are a lot of risks involved in doing this…" Izzy began before he was cut off.

"I don't care," the nearly hysterical older brother said. "Nothing you say is going to make me change my mind. Unless it's something that will help me help TK, I don't want to hear it."

The concern was written all over Izzy's face, but he simply nodded in understanding. Kari knew immediately what she had to do. She could see how afraid her best friend had been just mere moments ago. She stood from her seat as she turned to stare into her brother's face.

"I want to go, too," she said.

Tai went slightly pale, and he shook his head. "No," he responded. "No way. You said that digimon saw you!"

"Tai, I have to do this." She reached up to cup the side of her brother's face. "I'd rather do it with your blessing, but I'm going either way."

It was the strongest she had sounded and looked in three days. Tai didn't know what to say. He closed his eyes, shaking his head in protest at the words, even as he knew that she wasn't about to back down from this. Matt stepped forward, standing behind Kari as he put an arm on Tai's shoulder, and looked his best friend in the face.

"I'll watch after her," he promised.

Tai opened his eyes and looked into Matt's blue ones before a moment before he spoke. "You better." He cleared his throat and nodded. "Okay, so Matt and Kari are going in—"

"And me."

Everybody turned to stare at Cody who had spoken. The green-eyed boy was staring up at the older digidestined with a fiery conviction, almost daring either of them to say no, but it was his digimon in his arms that looked up at him with uncertainty.

"Cody, are you sure?" Upamon asked worriedly.

Cody looked down at his partner and smiled reassuringly. "Yes. I've been trying to find something more I can do for TK, and this is it." He looked back up at Tai and Matt and repeated, "I want to go."

Matt hesitated before he nodded. "Okay." Tai shot him an uncertain look, and he gave him a nod to let him know that it was okay. He turned back to Gennai and Izzy with a determined sense of purpose. "What do we do?"

"You go to sleep," Gennai said simply, gesturing to the sofa and loveseat sitting in the living room.

"Wait… what?" Davis asked, looking confused. "How is that supposed to work? I know that Kari and Matt have talked to TK in their sleep and all, but I thought that was just random luck?"

"It may have been more than that, but we aren't going to send them to sleep without some reassurance that this will work," Gennai said.

"We're going to be using their digivices. As you know, Davis, our digivices are directly linked to us, to our energy or our souls, as well as connected to each other. By connecting Matt, Kari, and Cody's digivices to TK's," Izzy held up the green D-3 that Cody and Ken had brought back earlier, "we'll be able to ensure that their unconscious minds end up on the same plane or in the same dream realm just like Matt and Kari's did naturally. This way, they'll be able to control when they wake up and going through a natural sleep cycle won't force them awake."

"So, all we have to do is go to sleep?" Cody repeated, just to make sure.

Matt blinked and sighed. "Great," he muttered.

Gennai looked at Izzy and asked, "Do you have the program I sent you?"

"Right here," he confirmed, working on his laptop to bring it up. "I need your digivices."

Kari reached into her other pocket and pulled out her pink D-3, laying it on the table next to TK's. She stared at the green D-3 for a long moment before realizing that Matt and Cody had already moved to lie down, so that they could begin to go to sleep. Tai was standing next to her still, watching her worriedly.

"I'm going to be fine, Tai," she promised, putting a comforting hand on his arm before moving to find a spot herself.

"What if TK knows something that you don't?" Tai asked quietly. "What if that digimon has an interest in you? What if you're a target?"

"I'm not the one in a coma," she said, sitting down on the sofa.

Her brother sat next to her, not taking his eyes off of her face. "You also weren't the one that was hurt. TK could have just been a victim of opportunity."

She decided that she was suddenly glad that she hadn't mentioned the look Nocnitmon had sent her, but a small part of her realized that Tai could be right. What if she was walking into a trap? What if she ended up hurting TK more than helping by going? But then she thought of TK's eyes, how defeated they had been, and she realized that there was no way she couldn't go. Kari smiled sadly up at her brother and leaned into kiss his cheek.

"I'll be okay," she promised, moving to lay down with her head in his lap.

"How long is it going to take for the rest of you to get to us?" Matt asked from his spot in the armchair, looking from Gennai to Tai.

Izzy answered, "It's hard to say. The World of Dreams doesn't appear to have a stable time difference to our world, but either way, it shouldn't feel like it's been very long to you. The time in the World of Dreams moves much slower than in our world. But… there's no way to know what we might encounter on our way there."

Matt nodded. "Thanks, Izzy." He swallowed and tried to relax back into the loveseat. "Now, I just need to sleep…"

"Kari…?" Gatomon asked quietly, as she leapt onto the sofa and curled into her side. "Don't do anything crazy until I get there, okay?"

Kari laughed lightly and ran her fingers over her digimon partner's fur as she nodded. "Okay."

She found her eyes unwilling to shut. The adrenaline running through her body since the nightmare hadn't quite dissipated fully. Going to sleep, though such a simple instruction, was proving to be harder than she expected. Tsunomon was settled on top of the armchair as he watched over Matt. The rock star didn't seem to be having any more luck than Kari. He kept rolling over, one side to the next, throwing an arm over his eyes, and just generally being antsy. Sora walked over to him, pulling a blanket off of the loveseat on her way, and draped it over him.

Across the room, Yolei was kneeled in front of Cody on the loveseat while she gently coaxed him to sleep with Upamon's help. Already, his eyes were closed and his breathing was starting to slow down. Kari tried to calm her still slightly racing heart. Every second she wasted was a second that TK was alone, but that thought didn't seem to be helping to calm her down any.

"Kari?" Gatomon said, watching her face. "You need to sleep."

She blinked away the slightly panicked tears that were gathering in her eyes. "I know," she whispered. "I just… My heart is beating so fast, I feel like I'm shaking."

"You are," Tai said.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I need to sleep…" She had to or TK could die. No pressure there.

"You can do it, Kari," a soft voice said.

Kari opened her eyes to find Davis kneeling in front of her. He was watching her with a soft gaze, and he reached out to squeeze her hand encouragingly. She had gotten so worked up, now she just couldn't get herself to sleep. One would think after so many sleepless nights, the girl would be exhausted enough to sleep for a month. But the urgency felt in the need to get to TK and help him was the exact thing that was keeping the young girl awake.

"Doesn't anybody have any sleeping pills or something?" Matt asked from across the room.

Much like Kari, it seemed he was having trouble sleeping, and he was getting more and more desperate by the moment.

"I'm sure someone does," Kari heard Sora say, "but we can't know what the side effects might be. You might be able to sleep, but then you may not be able to dream."

Matt made a noise of frustration and rolled onto his side again. "Hit me in the head! I don't care. Knock me out. Do something! I can't sleep… and TK is going to die if I can't…"

Kari felt slightly panicked tears starting to gather in her eyes at the reminder. _TK_, she thought desperately. _Please don't die. Please… _

"Hey," Davis said suddenly, catching her attention as he reached out and brushed away a tear that had escaped. "Calm down. You can do this. Just relax. Think about TK."

"I _am,_" she whispered, desperately. "That's why I can't sleep." Her voice was wavering with emotion. Her best friend and possibly more was going to die from his nightmares, and it was going to be Kari's fault because she couldn't sleep. This was terrible. _TK needs me. Think about TK._ She had to sleep.

Tai started to run his fingers through her hair while Gatomon started to hum a soft lullaby. Kari closed her eyes, trying to take slow, deliberate breaths, and listen to the quiet breathing of her brother and digimon partner around her. _TK. TK. I'm coming, TK… Just hang on…_ Gradually, she began to relax as the adrenaline started to fade, and soon enough, Kari's breathing was soft and regular signifying sleep. Tai and Sora shared gentle, encouraging smiles from across the room as Matt finally managed to drift off as well, and Davis looked down at the chestnut haired girl with a sad but proud expression.

"Go get him, Kari."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer**:I do not own Digimon. No, sirree, I do not.

**Author's Notes**: Phew! Everything is so heavy in the story lately! I hope my attempts at lightening the mood help you all, because I know it certainly helps me. Granted, then I turn right around and everything is gloomy again, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles, I'm afraid. I want you all to know that you may see some other stories getting published from me here soon, but they will _not_ effect the update schedule for this story. This story is still my baby first and foremost, but I wanted to get back to writing multiple stories again, so if you're curious, keep an eye out!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

"_Joe?" _

_The sixteen-year-old self-proclaimed worrier of the group looked up from his textbook to find TK sitting across from him on the outdoor park bench, watching him curiously. He could still hear the other six digidestined playing soccer out on the field just a few feet away from them, and he reached up with the back of his hand to wipe his forehead from the August heat. Today was the third anniversary of their defeat against VenomMyotismon, and while the rest of the digidestined were out having fun, he was stuck with a mountain of studying to do from cram school. _

"_What is it, TK?" Joe asked patiently as he ran his highlighter over a key piece of information. _

_Eleven-year-old TK rose up slightly to look over the picnic table to see what Joe was reading so intently. The high level biology textbook shot back words that went right over the young boy's head. Joe looked up at him when he received only silence as an answer. _

"_TK?" he gently prodded. _

_TK settled back down on his side of the table before looking up at his older friend. "I thought you didn't want to be a doctor," he said. _

_Joe tilted his head curiously. "I do," he protested. _

"_But I thought you didn't?"_

_The bespectacled male considered the boy in front of him for a moment before letting out a small sigh. "I changed my mind." _

"_What made you change it?" _

_Joe wasn't sure how to answer at first. He looked back up at the younger boy and considered him for a moment before dropping his pen so that he could give him his full attention. He took a breath and nodded, deciding to just be fully honest. Sure, it was a little strange that TK of all people was suddenly very curious about the decisions he made for his future, but he found it more refreshing than annoying. _

"_I used to think, though I wouldn't admit it to myself, that I only wanted to be a doctor to please my father," he admitted. _

"_But that wasn't true?" TK asked, confused. _

"_No, it was," Joe said. "But once I got over that with my brother's help… I realized that I still had a desire to help people." _

"_We helped a lot of people as digidestined," TK pointed out, almost wistfully. _

"_We did, and I want to keep helping. Plus, I'm really good at science," Joe answered with a smile on his face. He watched his younger companion for a moment before adding, "Do you miss it?" _

"_I miss _him_… Patamon," TK sighed. "But I don't really think I'm doctor material." _

"_Oh?" Joe asked. "What do you want to be, then?" _

_TK considered the question for a moment before smiling. "I want to be a digidestined." _

x X x

"Joe?"

Joe looked down at the digimon in his arms as Patamon stared up him. The little orange digimon looked exhausted, but his blue eyes were wide and alert ever since Joe had told him about the situation with TK. He was ready to get moving, and Joe could not blame him. Every time he saw a nurse or doctor walk into TK's room, he felt his heart leap into his throat in worry before he would roll his eyes at his overreaction. He _knew_ the sounds coming out of TK's room, and he _knew_ when to panic. Yet, every movement toward his younger friend's room startled him as if he had just heard him code.

Almost twenty minutes ago, he had seen Nancy and Hiroaki come rushing through the hallways to TK's room, and he hadn't seen them since. He was glad he had gotten Patamon out of TK's room while he had the chance. He had heard snippets of Nancy and Hiroaki's conversation concerning Matt and the World of Dreams, and he knew that neither of the worried sick parents were exactly in the right state of mind to hear about how he needed to steal their son's digimon away to go on a mission to save his subconscious. Honestly, even now, even he found the story to be a little hard to take.

"Yes, Patamon?"

"We're going to be leaving soon, right?" Patamon asked quietly.

"Really soon," he promised.

He cut off any further reassurance as he saw a doctor coming his way, and he quickly snatched a chart off of the wall in front of him, trying to blend into the hospital atmosphere. The name _Toshi Hidaka_ glared up at him as he held his breath and waited for the footsteps of the doctor to pass behind him. He only lifted his head once the doctor had turned the corner, and he let out a breath he had been holding. The sudden _beep!_ of his D-Terminal nearly made him leap out of his skin. He fumbled as he pulled it out of his pocket and finally flipped it open.

"_We're on our way. _

_- Izzy"_

Joe closed the D-Terminal and ran his free hand through his hair.

"Are they coming?" Patamon's anxiousness was staring to become infectious.

"Right now," he said before he spotted someone else turning into the hallway. He nearly went back to pretending to read Hidaka's chart before his brain registered who he was seeing. "Jim!" he hissed, gesturing him to come closer. "What did Dad say?"

His older brother was starting to look a lot like the other digidestined. His usually perfectly placed hair was sticking up in every direction, and his eyes were wide and alert as he checked to make sure the hallway was clear before he ran to Joe's side.

"Mostly nothing," Jim said quietly. "Joe… he's not going to do anything."

Joe felt what little color remained leave his face. "You're joking…"

Jim shook his head. "I'm sorry. I tried to explain it to him. I even tried to say that they were just three people who really didn't want to be admitted for religious reasons… but I had kind of already mentioned the Digital World and digimon by that point. He wasn't listening. You know how he feels about this stuff."

The doctor-in-training slammed the medical chart back into its pocket. "His own son is a digidestined!"

"I know!" Jim said. "Joe, you know I know. I study the Digital World for a living now, but he won't listen to reason. He still thinks it was some terrorist bombing or gas leak or whatever it was that they came up with."

Patamon looked between the two brothers, confusion written on his face. "I don't understand," he said, "why won't he help us? Wasn't he there seven years ago?"

Joe shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "He was in Osaka, in and out of meetings and lectures that entire week everything was happening. He probably saw the Digital World appear in the sky, but… He's a very practical man. He doesn't believe in a single superstition. The Digital World was always just a bit too far out there for him."

"It doesn't matter how many times the Digital World shows signs of existence in the Real World," Jim continued, "he just refuses to believe. It's not his style. The unbelievable was always more of Mom's territory."

The younger Kido closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to think, but he knew that they were running out of time. Even now, he could practically hear Nancy Takaishi's crying echoing through the hall. She was already mourning her son, and he knew that if they didn't act fast, it would be for a good reason.

"Do we really need his help?" Patamon's face was scrunched up in pain, his hearing far more superior to the human's. The Takaishi's woman's crying was the only thing he was hearing at the moment.

"Unfortunately, yes," Joe sighed. "Izzy's plan has Matt, Kari, and Cody going into a deep sleep, practically a coma themselves. They need to be kept hydrated and be monitored… We have no idea how long this is going to take. And then when you factor in the time difference between here and the Dream World… It may only take us three hours to work this entire thing out, but that could be three weeks down the line in our world! They would never survive without proper medical care." As he went on about the dangers of their mission, his voice started to rise in both pitch and volume as typical panicky and worrywart Joe started to resurface.

"But can't you—?" the worried digimon began.

"I don't have a medical license!" Joe cut him off. "I don't have access to the equipment! I'm not qualified to handle this…"

Patamon turned to look at Jim, but the other Kido was already shaking his head.

"My medical license is expired," he said. "Not to mention that I also don't have any access to the equipment here, and even if I could fake my way past security to get it… We could all end up in jail." He turned to look at his little brother. "Joe, maybe you should just have them admitted like regular patients. They're already in this coma, right? There's no way they'd be turned away."

"I _can't_," Joe said, running a hand through his hair. "There would be too many questions about how they got into the comas in the first place… And when they all suddenly woke up? It would be a medical miracle _nightmare_. We wouldn't be able to avoid all those questions… especially not when their names would permanently be kept on file…" He shook his head. "No, we have to find a way to do this off the books and as low key as possible."

"But, Joe, what other choices are there?" Patamon asked. "TK needs us! And now so do Matt, Kari, and Cody! Do you really think we—?"

A gasp from behind cut them off, and Joe turned around to find Dr Kinjo standing there with whatever file he had been carrying on the ground. He was staring at Patamon with wide eyes. "You… You talk!"

"Oh, man…" Joe swallowed.

Dr Kinjo stepped closer, his eyes never leaving Patamon's face, completely ignoring the file that was still on the floor. "Are you… one of those monsters that appeared three years ago?"

Patamon didn't speak for a long moment, and Joe tried to wrack his brain for a perfectly logical excuse as to why Dr Kinjo saw what he thought he did. He opened his mouth to say something about a stuffed animal that can speak – he got it at the Nerima Department Store! – when the orange digimon finally spoke.

"Yes."

Dr Kinjo jumped, but he didn't back away. Instead, he took another step closer. "O-one of the good ones?"

Patamon nodded. "Of course."

"You… you were with the Takaishi boy…" he said, looking a little faint. "Does that mean… Was he one of the children that disappeared into the sky seven years ago?"

Jim shifted awkwardly, but Joe just let out a small sigh. There really was no point in denying it now. Dr Kinjo would be able to piece the evidence together even without any sort of video or photographic proof. Memories weren't nearly as easy to rewrite as data, and not everyone had blocked out that particular event like his father.

The doctor-in-training gave a small nod. "Yes, and so was I."

This finally managed to tear Dr Kinjo's gaze away from Patamon as he looked up at the younger man. Joe looked at him and nearly dropped the orange digimon as he saw the look in his eyes. _Admiration_. And something else that Joe realized he often saw in the eyes of the girls that would follow Matt around after one of his concerts or that Davis used to look at Tai with when he had been younger. It was only after Dr Kinjo stuck out his semi-trembling hand that it clicked. _Hero worship._

"May I shake your hand?"

"Uh…" Joe really didn't know what to say. Jim nudged him roughly in the side and nodded at the doctor. Going slightly red, Joe shifted Patamon into his other arm before taking Dr Kinjo's hand and shaking it. What else was he supposed to do?

Dr Kinjo held onto his hand with both of his while he looked between Patamon and Joe with that same beaming smile. "Seven years ago, my family was taken by those monsters and held in the convention center. My little sister was separated from us when they took her to… test her for something… You and the other children… and the good monsters…" He sent Patamon a slightly nervous smile. "…You saved us all. I have never forgotten." He looked up into Joe's face. "Thank you."

Pulling his hand back as it was finally released, Joe found that he didn't really know how to respond to that. He and the other digidestined had never really been thanked by humans before for what they did. It had not exactly been a hard decision to hold onto their anonymity when Gennai and his counterparts had worked so hard to make sure they could continue to live normal lives, so it had never been a problem. The closest he had ever come to being in this situation was finding out that they had saved Davis and Cody's lives all those years ago, long before they had ever become digidestined themselves.

"You're welcome!" Patamon said.

"I… I wish I could do more for your friend," Dr Kinjo said, finally moving to pick up his file. His hands were still shaking as he hugged it to him. He looked a lot younger and far more uncertain than normal. "But… if there is anything else I can do… anything at all… I am forever in your debt."

Joe felt his heart leap into his throat. "Actually," he said as the doctor moved as if to walk off, "there is something…"

x X x

"_Nightmare Bolt!_"

TK cried out as the attack hit him between the shoulder blades and sent him flying across the gym. He hit the ground and fell into a roll as he slid into the railing of the bleachers. One moment, he'd been speaking to Kari, _touching her_, and the next, he was back in his nightmare as Nocnitmon returned with a vengeance. She wasn't happy that he had gotten the leg up on her before, and she wasn't afraid to show it. He hadn't seen it coming. He had only seen a flash of panic cross Kari's face before she disappeared, and then he had been hit without any warning.

TK lifted his head to look toward her when he was hit with another purple orb of negative energy. It slammed into his side and sent him flying, rolling in the air before he slammed into the wall and hit the floor. He should have been trying to get away or fight back or _something_, but as he looked down at his pale hands, he felt nothing but helplessness. The fight and power along with the glow that he'd had was all gone. Nothing was left. She had killed his brother. She had killed his best friend. He'd give anything to have his brother back, but he knew it wasn't going to happen.

_That's it… I give up. I can't fight anymore… Just kill me…_

Tears leaked out of the corner of TK's eyes. If his death meant that no one else would get hurt because of him, he would take it. He should have taken it earlier. Maybe if he had, Matt would still be alive…

"_Nightmare…"_

TK felt a sense of calm start to settle over him. He knew this was it. He could feel his chest clench slightly at the thought. There was so much he still hadn't gotten to do, but apparently it just wasn't his destiny. His destiny was to die for his friends. Maybe if he had just accepted it earlier, he would have been able to save his brother, but it was too late for that now. Maybe, just maybe, Matt would be waiting for him on the other side. Then, he could tell him how sorry he was.

"…_Bolt!"_

x X x

Tai pulled up to the ER and brought his car to a stop. Through the rearview mirror, he could see Matt's pale face sleeping supposedly peacefully. He gripped his steering wheel tightly as he realized that appearances could very well be deceiving. For all he knew, Matt was already facing Nocnitmon; he could be in pain; or his sister could be in danger. He turned to look at Tsunomon who just about as confident as he felt, but he held his thoughts in. Now was not the time for him to fall apart. Matt was counting on him to keep it together and get everybody there in time. He wasn't going to fail him.

His D-Terminal beeped, and Tai checked it quickly before nodding to himself. They were instructions from Joe telling him to go around to one of the back entrances. He knew better than to question Joe's judgment, and he stuck his hand out his window to gesture to Sora to follow him in her car as he took off again. A moment later, they were parked in the loading bay, and he looked up as Joe and Jim came out of a side door, leading stretchers down a wheelchair ramp and they weren't alone.

"Tai!" Joe said, abandoning the stretcher by the curb for a moment as he ran up to his passenger side window. "Where is—? Oh." He had just spotted Matt laying the unconscious in the backseat.

"Kari's in Sora's car, and Cody's with Izzy." Tai looked away from Joe to study Dr Kinjo who was hovering nearby. "What's he doing here?" The suspicion in his voice was hard to miss.

Dr. Kinjo shifted awkwardly.

"Don't worry about him," Joe said as he looked into Tai's face. "He's here to help, and he knows about the digimon."

Tai's eyes widened as Patamon flew over and landed on top of Joe's head. "How—?"

Joe shook his head. "It's a long story. One I don't think we have time for…" He was looking at Matt again, a worried but determined look on his face.

"But don't worry, Tai," Patamon said solemnly, "he can be trusted."

"Okay," Tai sighed. Now was not the time to be asking questions that he could figure out later. His sister, best friend, and two other friends were counting on him to make this work. He didn't care how it worked out, just as long as it did.

"Joe!" Sora jogged up to him. She had exited her car after waiting for Tai to do something. "What's going on?"

"There's no time to explain," Joe said as he went to the back door of Tai's car and opened it. He looked back at Jim and Dr Kinjo before continuing, "We need to get them inside before anyone sees us."

Jim and Dr Kinjo nodded. Without saying a word, they both moved to a stretcher that was waiting right outside the door that Tai had not seen before. They wheeled that over to the back of his car before helping to get Matt onto the stretcher carefully. Tsunomon did not waste a moment to join him. From the stubborn look on his face, Tai had a feeling that he would not be leaving Matt's side until he absolutely had to. Tai got out of the car slowly, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. It was like Jim, Joe, and Dr Kinjo were now doing some prearranged dance as they carefully moved Matt out of the way so they could pull the next stretcher up to the back of Sora's car. Kari was carefully transported from the backseat onto the stretcher.

The rest of the digidestined and Izzy's parents had gotten out of their cars as well by now. They were watching the movements of the three men as they worked without pause. Davis stepped forward with a confused expression.

"Where is everybody?"

Tai had just realized how strange that was as well. They were in the loading bay and it was the middle of the night, but he was pretty sure there should have been at least one or two nurses nearby to see what all the commotion was about.

Dr Kinjo looked up from where he was putting Cody (and Upamon who was taking on Tsunomon's stance) onto the last stretcher. "I, uh…"

Jim answered for him. "He gave them all busy work on the other side of the hospital. Plus, this loading bay usually only sees activity between 9 AM and 6 PM. But we only have about five minutes before someone sees us. So we need to move now."

As he said this he grabbed the edge of Matt's stretcher and started to roll it inside. Tai broke out of his surprised trance and picked up Patamon from the top of his car where he had settled when Joe had moved away. He joined Jim on the other side of Matt's stretcher, one arm holding Patamon as the other one helped to guide Matt into the hospital. Jim called for someone to get the heavy metal door, and Ken ran forward to hold it open while Tai, the rest of the digidestined, and the other two stretchers entered the hospital.

But Tai's eyes were on Patamon. The little guy wasn't looking too good, and Tai immediately knew that wasn't a good thing. Sora had told him what Biyomon had said yesterday, and Patamon's usually orange body was looking particularly pale at the moment.

"Hey… How are you feeling?" Tai asked quietly.

Patamon looked up at home with tired eyes. "I'm just ready to see TK again."

"Don't worry, Patamon," Tsunomon said from his position next to Matt. "We'll get to him soon. And until we do, Matt will watch after him."

"And Matt would never let anything happen to him," Mimi said from behind them, having been listening to their conversation.

Sora smiled slightly and nodded. "He's much too stubborn for that."

"In there!" Dr Kinjo hissed from next to Kari's stretcher. He was pointing at a room up ahead.

Jim led the way into the room, steering Matt's stretcher through the door. Tai looked around as they settled Matt's stretcher next to the wall. They appeared to be in just another room, but this one was mostly empty. There was no chair for visitors, and there weren't any posters or pictures on the walls to make it seem less sterile. Overall, the room looked relatively unused.

"Quickly!"

Dr Kinjo was ushering Joe, Izzy, and Cody's stretcher through the door before he shut it suddenly behind them. He made a gesture for them all to keep quiet, and they waited with baited breath to hear what it was he was waiting for. A second later, they could hear heels clicking against the ground outside as two women passed by. They waited until long after the nurses could no longer be heard before they all let out a breath of relief.

"This is impossible!" Yolei cried suddenly. "How do you plan on keeping three patients totally secret from every other person in this hospital? There's just no way!"

Ken put a comforting hand on Yolei's arm, but he didn't seem to be feeling any more optimistic than her. "It will be especially tough when the rest of us go to the Digital World. It will just be Jim, Dr Kinjo, and… Izzy's parents to help keep them a secret."

"We'll do whatever we can to help," Mrs Izumi promised.

"Knock, knock!"

Everybody jumped when the door suddenly opened.

"Jun!?" Davis yelped. It was, as Davis had announced, his sister. "Wha… what are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Jun said as she entered the room. She was dragging a tray of equipment behind her in one hand while the other hand rolled along an IV tree. The squeaky wheels sounded loud against the suffocating silence of most of the digidestined. "I'm helping."

"But how?" Davis spluttered. "_Why?_"

"When I saw you go rushing out earlier, I knew something must be up. I thought it might have something to do with TK, so I came here, but instead of finding you, I ran into Joe and Jim. They told me what was going on, and I said I wanted to help," she said before turning to look at the doctor in the room. "Is this the stuff you asked for, Dr Kinjo?"

Dr Kinjo looked more than just a little shaken as he nodded and stepped forward to take the items. "Yes, I, uh…"

Tai could sense that the man was beyond nervous. He was sweating more than Joe once did in the face of Meramon, and he wasn't the only one that noticed it either. Sora placed a gentle hand on Dr Kinjo's shoulder and smiled kindly up at him.

"I know you're probably breaking more than just a few rules for us," she said, "but just know that you're doing it for a good cause."

"You're saving a life," Patamon said solemnly.

"And maybe even saving the world!" Upamon added.

"I know my brother and his friends may seem a little strange," Jim started.

"Hey!" Poromon protested.

"…but just know that they wouldn't be doing this and asking for your help if it wasn't for something extremely important."

"My brother can often do some pretty stupid things," Jun said.

Davis dropped his head into his hands. "Gee, thanks, Jun."

She shot him a suddenly affectionate smile. "But even I can agree with that."

Dr Kinjo looked around the room at all of the different faces watching him. Tai stepped forward, something in his heart telling him that he could trust this guy after all. He knew that he was good, and that it wasn't any lack of desire that was causing him to hesitate, which was good enough for him.

"And even if you don't trust us or our digimon, trust the reason why you became a doctor in the first place. We just want to save lives, just like you."

Dr Kinjo took a deep breath before turning back to Jun and saying, "We need two more of each of these. Were there more in the storage cupboard you found this one in?"

Jun nodded. "Yes! I'll be right back."

She exited the room quietly, and Davis dropped his head into his hand with a slight groan.

"Why am I not surprised that my sister would willingly break a few laws without even a second thought?" he bemoaned.

Mimi giggled lightly and put a hand on his shoulder. "Think of it this way, Davis… she could have turned you in instead."

"She has a point!" DemiVeemon said.

Tsunomon shook his head and looked around at the much taller occupants in the room. "We still aren't any closer in how we're supposed to keep this room a secret from everybody else in the hospital," he pointed out.

"Well, what about…" Mr Izumi began before he stopped himself, suddenly uncertain.

Izzy turned to look at his father and gave him a questioning look. "What about what, Dad?"

"I was just thinking about what happened seven years ago when the ghost monsters were after us—"

"Bakemon," Gatomon said.

"Right. Them. You made it so that we were invisible to them. Is there any way you could do that for this room?"

Izzy gave an uncertain look as he started to shake his head. "I don't think so… What I did was I used a digital field to make something invisible to digimon. It was data and data, but what I would be doing here is trying to make humans invisible to humans. I can't use my computer to do that."

Joe stepped forward. "Why not? After all, humans were able to be controlled by digimon, and we're able to be turned into data. There has to be something that connects us."

"It's the electric signals in our brain," Jim said. "At least, that's Mr Takenouchi's theory. Just like a computer, we run off of a type of electricity, just in a different form."

Izzy watched the two brothers, his expression skeptical and uncertain. "It is too complex. The human brain is nothing like a hard drive. They're two different things. That's why I work on computers, and you work on people, Joe!"

Tai stepped forward and looked between the two of them. "This sounds like the best plan so far," he said. "If anyone can do it, it's the two of you. I believe in you."

Ken had a thoughtful expression on his face as he added, "If you use the exact same program you used on the Bakemon, but added the ability to use it on humans by using the data that's found in our digivices that connects us to our digimon, you might be able to use it as a way to detect humans and use it as a sort of firewall. Only those allowed would be able to see what's going on inside the room."

"That's my Ken!" Minomon said proudly.

Obviously unable to not give this a try any longer, Izzy sat down on the edge of Cody's bed and pulled out his laptop. His fingers started to fly across the keyboard as he shook his head. "I have no idea if this is going to work," he warned them. "This is all speculation so far."

Mrs Izumi stepped forward with a soft smile. "Izzy, whatever you do, I know you'll figure it out."

Davis turned to look at the others in the room and threw his hands up in the air. "Am I the only one that has no idea what everybody just said?"

"Nope!" Demiveemon said happily.

Everybody ignored them. Everybody else was too focused in on Izzy, though Mimi looked just as lost as Davis. In fact, almost all of the digimon seemed to be on the same page as Davis, but they were staying quiet to give Izzy time to think.

"If I consider each person as a single IP address, I might be able to allow each user or person to see or not see what's inside this room based on if they have access or not. It would be like somebody trying to get into a server without permission. They may be able to see that the server actually exists, but they wouldn't actually be up to see anything going on. I might even be able to do it so that you all can add users after we've left… users like when Tai's parents show up or Cody's grandfather… I figure they would want to see what's going on, as well."

Tsunomon looked over at the other digimon and said, "Well, it sounds like Izzy is in Izzy-mode. That's usually a good sign."

The other digimon nodded, and Poromon just tilted his head in complete confusion.

"Go, Izzy!" Yolei cheered.

"Okay, okay… I almost have it," he said. "I'll be ready for a test run in—"

"_TK!_"

Patamon suddenly leapt out of Tai's arms and started flying at full speed toward the door. Tears were running down his face as he started to struggle with the doorknob, and Tai instantly knew something was wrong. Then, Dr Kinjo's pager went off. Everybody stared as he ripped it off his waistband to check it.

"I'm needed in your friend's room," he said, before he quickly exited the room.

Patamon was right on his heels, slipping through the door as it was finally opened. He was refusing to be discreet. Everybody shared a distressed look before they ran out after them with Izzy taking up the rear from where he had hastily closed his laptop and held it against his chest. As they neared TK's room, they could hear crying echoing out through the doorway along with a high-pitched, long, steady _beep_. Nancy Takaishi's voice was easily heard as she screamed for a nurse or a doctor. Tai could feel his stomach drop, and for a second, he thought he might be sick. He wasn't sure if he actually wanted to see what was going on.

_Oh God… We're too late._

"No!"

Davis barreled into the room, pushing past Tai as he went straight for the bed. "Don't you dare!" he said as he grabbed the front of TK's hospital gown.

The blonde was looking particularly pale at the moment, and Tai found himself leaning against the door pane as he realized that he didn't appear to be breathing. Patamon was burying his face into the crook of TK's neck as he sobbed openly, his words undistinguishable, but Tai could guess what he was saying. But Davis didn't pay attention to any of this. He looked angry even as tears started to run down his face. Ignoring the cries of Nancy and Hiroaki as they began to plead with him to stop, he shook the basketball player in his grasp.

"Don't you dare give up, TK! You can't! You're not allowed! Fight, TK, _fight_!"

Finally breaking out of their shock, Joe and Tai move forward to drag Davis away from TK. Mimi and Sora were crying in each other's arms, and Ken was leaning against the wall looking ready to pass out. Several nurses barreled into the room, having received the same page, just as Dr Kinjo moved to grab the crash cart as he dragged it over to TK's bed, but Davis refused to give up.

"Davish, stop…" DemiVeemon pleaded tearfully.

Davis elbowed Tai painfully in the chest, and shrugged Joe off as he reached forward to grab the front to TKs gown again. "You hear me?! You do not give up! You do not lose hope! You FIGHT!"

Tai reached forward to grab him again when light suddenly exploded throughout the room. He was instantly blinded, but he managed to squint through the light just enough to see that the source of the light was Davis's D-3. It illuminated the entirety of the room and was shining right on TK's face before it dissipated. For a moment, nobody breathed. And then…

_Beep_… _Beep_… _Beep_…

The heart monitor had come back to life and TK along with it. Tai felt his knees give out as he sank to the ground in shock and relief. Mimi gave a loud sob of happiness. Nancy Takaishi was crying into her son's shoulder as she murmured her thanks to whoever was listening. Patamon was right there with her, unable to contain his emotions in the moment.

Mr Izumi led out a long breath. "It's a miracle."

Davis didn't seem to know what to think. He just fell to the floor and started to cry.

x X x

"_You do not give up! You do not lose hope! You FIGHT!_"

TK's eyes popped open. He could see the Nightmare Bolt heading straight for him, but he suddenly wasn't so ready to lie down and die. He rolled out of the way and heard a crash behind him as the bolt exploded against the wall. TK looked up just as most of the wall disintegrated leaving behind a star–filled nothing. The voice had come from nowhere, but TK instantly knew that it was right. He couldn't give up. Not now. Not ever. He wouldn't give up until Matt's killer was brought to justice. And in order to do that, he had to survive.

TK leapt to his feet, dodging another Nightmare Bolt as he raced toward the double doors that led outside. His light from before was gone, but his resolve had returned. Another piece of the wall disintegrated as the bolt crashed into it, and TK picked up the pace. Just a few more steps to go. Somehow, TK knew that he would find a temporary sanctuary on the other side.

"_Nightmare Bolt!" _

TK slammed into the double doors, forcing them to swing open as he threw himself past the archway. He landed face first into two feet of pure white snow. Around him, the world rippled. He glanced over his shoulder and saw nothing but hillsides and snow-covered treetops. The school, and hopefully Nocnitmon, was long gone. The cold immediately started to travel through his body, and TK shivered as the frost began to melt against his body heat and dampen his clothing.

_What am I supposed to do now…?_

He knew he couldn't just stay here, but now that his immediate goal of getting away from Nocnitmon was complete, he wasn't sure what to do. He was just as vulnerable now as he was when he asked Matt for help, and he couldn't bear the thought of asking anyone else to put their lives in danger for him when he'd already seen how that story ends. He forced himself to his knees, and then again to his feet, knowing that he had to keep moving. If nothing else, he had to keep moving. Even though he was alone now, he couldn't stop.

TK put one foot in front of the other, feeling the weight of the snow dragging against his sneakers. His bare calves started to burn with the cold. He thought of Calumon. Had he left him to die when he had suddenly found himself with Kari? Was that another casualty on his growing list? Did he _attract_ this type of suffering…?

The air in front of him rippled again, and for one frightened moment, TK thought Nocnitmon had already found him. But, no—Matt, the _real_ Matt, appeared just in front of his shivering little brother. TK froze. The younger boy's eyes widened and teared up with shock and disbelief as he became fully aware of what he was truly seeing. He almost didn't want to believe it. He almost _couldn't_ believe it. He was left standing in place in total shock. Then, he launched himself at his brother, arms wrapping around Matt and clinging to him desperately. He had his blue-green eyes closed, holding onto Matt as if he let go the older digidestined would be gone again.

"M… Matt…" he sobbed into his shoulder.

"Shh… Shh, I'm here…" Matt whispered, his own voice a little choked up. "It's okay. I'm here now."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. And it is very difficult to come up with something witty to save here every time, let me tell you!

**Author's Note**: Hey, guys! I am so sorry for the wait that this chapter brought on you. I hope that it was worth it. We have approached the part of the story that is a little less planned than the beginning, so I was struggling a little with figuring out exactly what scenes I wanted to show you already, and which ones I wanted to hold off for a future chapter. I hope that there will not be another too long wait for Chapter Sixteen, but I will not promise anything so that I do not end up disappointing all of you! But just know that I have _not_ given up on this story. I'm just playing with how I exactly want the chapter layouts to go!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen<strong>

Matt wrapped his arms around TK as his little brother uncontrollably shook in his arms. He was trembling like a leaf so badly, leaving Matt with nothing but concern. What had happened? He could feel his own tears of joy stinging in his eyes, but this felt different. Matt protectively held his sibling while TK clung to him. Over the top of TK's head, Matt could see the world shimmering as Cody and then Kari appeared in the Dream World.

"TK, it's going to be okay now… We're here…"

TK didn't respond; he just continued to hold onto Matt for dear life. He didn't even seem to be aware that they weren't alone, or maybe he just didn't care. Kari recovered quicker than Cody as she spun and faced them, but she didn't move. Over TK's shoulder, Matt could see her concerned face as she watched TK practically bawling into his chest. Matt didn't blame her. He tightened his hold on his little brother as he looked around warily for Nocnitmon. He knew she was responsible for this, and he was going to tear her apart if he had any say in it.

Cody took a hesitant step forward as he watched his DNA Digivolving partner worriedly. "TK…?" he whispered.

Matt felt TK's head move slightly in Cody's direction as he sniffled, a subtle sign that he had heard him. He swallowed down a whimper before hesitantly letting go of Matt with one hand to bring his sleeve up to wipe across his face. The other, however, remained fisted in his brother's sweater.

"I'm o-okay…"

Matt very nearly smacked him upside the head and called him an idiot. If there was ever a poster boy for being _not_ okay, it was his little brother right at this moment. But Matt could see that TK didn't need to be patronized. He needed to be comforted. Matt just wished he knew from _what_.

"No, you're not," he whispered, putting his hands on TK's shoulders to look at him. And that's when he saw it. Over TK's hands, across his knees, all over his shorts… Matt went white. "Is that blood?"

Kari gasped and pulled herself out of her frozen state to run through the snow to join Matt. She also went pale as she saw the blood on the Child of Hope. Cody wasn't much better as he grabbed TK's shirt sleeve tightly as he started to look him over frantically, searching for any sort of wounds. Matt knew that they were merely dreaming, but he also knew that this was no ordinary dream. Even now, he was starting to shiver from the cold of the snow and the frigid air settling in around them. Maybe TK wasn't bleeding in the real world, but Matt had a pretty good idea that if they _dreamed_ that they cut themselves, they would end up bleeding because that's what they expected to happen. And this realization along with the blood on TK's skin and clothes was leading him to a lot of terrifying and disturbing scenarios.

Had Nocnitmon _tortured_ TK…?

_I'm going to kill her._

TK was also looking down at himself, but his face had gone slightly green. He had to squeeze his eyes shut to block out the sight. It took him a moment before he could manage to choke out, "It's… it's not _mine_…"

"Whose is it?" Cody asked quietly, still holding onto his arm.

TK managed to look up even as his entire body trembled. He was staring right at Matt with eyes filled with tears. "I thought it was yours," he said. "I thought… I thought you'd come back to help me and she… It was so real…"

Matt felt what little color was left drain from his face as he realized what TK was trying to say. He remembered Kari's words earlier about how TK hadn't wanted anyone to come after him, and now he had a pretty good idea as to why.

Kari seemed to have come to the same conclusion as well as she threw her arms around TK from behind and rested her head against the space between his shoulder blades. "Oh, TK… If I had known, I would've told you that he was okay…"

"It felt so real… Matt, you can't…"

Matt grabbed TK's shoulders to make him look at him in the face. "I am not going anywhere," Matt said strongly. "I am fine, and you are going to be fine, and we are all going to be _fine_."

TK didn't look convinced.

Cody grabbed his arm to get his attention. TK turned to look at him and the two DNA digivolving partners stared at each other for a moment before Cody said, "Matt is okay. This is not some trick to fool you; it's really us. I know you can feel that in your heart. You can, can't you?"

TK closed his eyes and turned away, but even as he did this, he nodded. Matt stared at his brother confused. He almost seemed upset by this fact, and he wasn't sure how to take that. But Cody seemed to understand exactly what was going through TK's head, and he tugged on TK's on to get his attention again.

"I know after everything that you've been through, it's hard to believe," Cody said gently, "but you know it's true. You have to trust us. You need to calm down, TK. Your life depends on it."

The basketball player gave the younger boy a strange look, not quite getting what he was saying.

"Cody's right, TK," Matt said. "You heart… it's beating so fast… the doctors don't know how much longer it can keep up."

His little brother stared at him with slightly frightened blue-green eyes. His shoulders were trembling underneath Matt's hands, and the cold in the air was allowing the rockstar to see how quickly his breaths were coming, in unsteady short bursts. Matt looked from Kari to Cody helplessly. Just _telling_ TK to calm down wasn't going to help or make it happen.

"I…"

He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to calm his breathing, and Matt was reminded of TK's pained face in the ambulance. He bent over suddenly and finally let go of Matt's sweater to brace both of his hands on his knees. It was almost like he was trying to catch his breath, but the wince that crossed his face did not fit the bill. Fear encircled Matt's heart as he watched TK struggling against something.

"TK?" Kari said worriedly, kneeling in front of him so that she could look into his face.

"I feel dizzy," he admitted, shakily.

Cody reached out and started to rub comforting circles on his back. "You need to take deep breaths, TK. Just calm down."

"I _can't!_" he snapped.

"What is going on?" Kari asked, her eyes staring to well up with panicked tears of her own.

Matt shook his head. "I don't know… but I don't think we have a lot of time."

Cody's face hardened with resolve, and he grabbed TK's wrist. Not quite ready to be pulled anywhere, TK nearly lost his footing, but the kendo student didn't stop in his movements. He continued to drag him along. Matt and Kari shared a confused look before they moved to follow.

"Where are we going?" TK asked, bewildered.

"Somewhere warm."

Matt said nothing. If Cody had some sort of plan, then he was going to let the younger boy see it through. It could be TK's only chance.

x X x

Izzy was trying very hard not to cry. His chest was tight with the pain of all of the possibilities if he failed, and every time he turned around, those possibilities seemed more and more likely. He couldn't get the sound of TK's heart monitor flat lining out of his head. His fingers trembled even as they flew across the keyboard of his laptop. He had to get this right.

He _had_ to.

He sat on the edge of Cody's bed as the three active heart monitors in the room beat in sync. Upamon was snuggled into his side, trying to offer the computer genius whatever comfort he could, but his eyes and his focus were solely on Cody. The heart monitors continued to beat in tandem, making it seem like all of their hearts had aligned and put them on the same breathing pattern. Every exhale was echoed by two more letting Izzy know that wherever Matt, Kari, and Cody were, they were at least together. He could just imagine TK's heart monitor and breathing aligning with the three in this room, but he couldn't be sure. He could only hope that Matt's presence as well as Kari and Cody's were enough to get the basketball player to calm down. He was trying so hard not to focus on the _what ifs_ that could come about if they failed.

The door to the forgotten room opened as Tai entered. The former leader of the digidestined was about as pale as Izzy felt, and he had to catch the wall as the door shut behind him to keep himself steady on his feet. Izzy's fingers froze on the keyboard as he watched his friend.

"Did… did something happen?" he whispered.

Tai blinked as he looked at him before shaking his head. "No. No, not since…"

Izzy let out a breath he had been holding. "I feel like I've aged five years in the past two hours."

"Try twenty," Tai said. He moved to sit on the edge of Matt's bed, plopping down on the softened surface with an exhausted sigh. Tsunomon looked up at him with a sad smile. Tai looked over at Izzy. "How's it coming?"

"Nearly got it," Izzy said, returning his attention back to the work at hand. "How are Mr Ishida and Mrs Takaishi?"

Tai was quiet for a moment. "We… haven't really told them what's going on."

"That's not good," Tsunomon said immediately.

Izzy stared at him.

"You heard what Matt said!" Tai protested. "They wouldn't listen. We need action right now, not someone trying to stop us from doing what we do. So… they can just focus on TK right now. We'll tell them about Matt before we leave."

"Tai…" Izzy sighed. "This is why you haven't told your parents or Cody's family, isn't it?" The guilt that flashed across Tai's face told him everything he needed to know. Izzy nodded. "What did Dr Kinjo tell the nurses?"

Tai shook his head. "He and Jim are spinning it to be some sort of spontaneous medical miracle thing. They're speaking in words that I don't understand, but the nurses seem to, so we should be okay."

"You don't exactly sound convinced," Gatomon pointed out.

"This is really bad," Izzy sighed.

"I just said we should be okay," Tai said.

"I know, but…" Izzy's eyes flickered back to his screen. "I've never felt this much pressure. We aren't even facing a battle that could end the world like we've done so many times before, but I'm scared. If I don't get this right, if I'm wrong…"

"You're not wrong."

"But if I _am_, TK could die. Matt, Kari, and Cody could _die_. And maybe it won't matter to the world, but I'll never… If I screw this up, I don't know how…" Izzy cut himself off, unable to keep going.

Tears started to shine in Tai's eyes as he stared at the computer genius. "I know," he whispered. "I'm scared, too."

"We all are," Upamon offered softly.

"Done," Izzy said, hitting enter on the keyboard.

A small shockwave of data exploded from the laptop and coated the entire room with a wave of yellowish light before it died down. For a moment, Tai and Izzy said nothing as they simply stared at each other confused. Tai turned to look at Matt's sleeping face, double-checking that the light hadn't messed with his best friend in anyway, but Matt's face was just as relaxed as it had been before. The heart monitors continued their steady rhythm without missing a beat. Other than the random flash of light, nothing appeared to have changed.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Gatomon asked.

Izzy shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea," he admitted. "This isn't an exact science. It _is_ science, but it's not _science_."

Tai gave him a funny look. "Whatever you say, Izzy. How do we know if it worked?"

"We test it?" Izzy offered.

As if hearing him, the door opened once again. Mimi stopped in the doorway with a very confused look on her face. She scanned the room, her eyes skirting right over Tai and Izzy before letting out a bit of an annoyed huff.

"Where is everybody?"

Tai and Izzy shared a surprised glance before looking back at the pink-haired girl who had stepped back out of the room to check the room number, thinking that she had must have the wrong room.

Despite everything that was going on, Tai grinned, finding the image amusing. He looked over at Izzy. "Can she hear us?"

Instead of answering right away, Izzy just watched Mimi as Tai spoke. The girl didn't even flinch or react to Tai's voice.

"I'm going to take that as a no," Tsunomon said.

Tai stood and walked over to the door so that he could wave a hand in front of Mimi's bewildered face. She didn't even react. She just continued to look around confused. Worry was starting to cross her face as she seemed to try to figure out what to do next.

"This is so freaky," Tai said, unable to help himself.

"I'm going to add her as a user," Izzy said. "She should be able to see us… now."

As soon as he hit enter on the keyboard, Mimi's eyes finally landed on Tai's face. She gasped and then screeched in surprise as she stumbled backwards over her own feet. Tai saw what was happening before it happened, and he reached out to try to grab her but he wasn't fast enough. She fell backwards into the hallway where she landed on her posterior. Tai winched. Tsunomon and Upamon giggled.

"How did you…?" she spluttered. "Where did you…? _TAI!_"

"It wasn't me!" he protested. "Izzy did it!"

Izzy glared at him from his spot still in the room. Mimi opened her mouth to start on an annoyed tirade when both digidestined froze. They could hear the sound of footsteps, running footsteps, getting louder with every step. Tai leapt forward and grabbed Mimi's wrist, yanking her to her feet, before the two scrambled into the room.

Behind them, someone yelled, "Hey! Wait! You're not supposed to be back here!"

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Mimi gasped.

Tai and Mimi back away from the door until they hit the foot of Kari's bed. Izzy didn't say a word as he just stared at the door. A moment later, the door was being thrown open. Two nurses stood there, looking a little breathless but determined. Until confusion crossed both of their faces.

"Usagi!" the first one sighed. "I thought you said they came in here?"

"They did!" the second protested. "I know I saw it… Where did they go?"

The first nurse shook her head exasperatedly. "You're seeing things again. Great. C'mon." She grabbed the other nurse's arm and started to drag her away, ignoring her protests the whole way.

The room was quiet as the three occupants listened to the sound of the fading footsteps.

Mimi turned to look at Izzy, her eyes wide. "Izzy," she gasped, "did you just hack the human brain?"

Izzy blinked. "I think I did."

Tai snorted before falling into full-on laughter. Izzy and Mimi stared at him for a moment before joining him. The digimon looked on in confusion. It was just one of those moments that despite everything else going on, they had to laugh.

x X x

"Jeez, Yolei, cool it!"

Yolei lifted her head off of her boyfriend's shoulder to glare across him at Davis who had been the one to speak so crassly. She had been crying on Ken's shoulder for the past ten minutes, but could anyone blame her? She had just seen one of her best friends die. Sure, he had come back, but it had been close enough to remind her how serious all of this really was when it came down to it. And now Davis, who had been with her while he had his own breakdown not even five minutes ago, was going to start criticizing her?

"Shut it, Davis!" she snapped. "I'm upset."

"We're all upset. Doesn't mean we're all blubbering over it on Ken's shirt," he said.

"That's not very nice!" Poromon huffed.

Yolei opened her mouth to probably call him some insult or another when Ken let out a slightly frustrated sigh. "Do you two have to do this now?" he asked, sounding quite tired as he looked from his best friend to his girlfriend. Minomon snoozed in his lap.

The three friends and their digimon were sitting in the middle of the ICU hallway outside of TK's room with their backs up against the wall so that they weren't getting in anybody's way. Every so often, a nurse would walk by and give them a strange look, but Dr Kinjo must have told them to leave them alone, as nobody pointed out that they weren't technically supposed to be back here. Yolei was grateful. She was exhausted, emotional, and really not in the mood to try to spin some lie for some nurse to buy so that she would just leave them alone!

"Where is Matt?" Across the hall, Yolei could see Nancy standing in the doorway of TK's room. Her face was tear-stained and blotchy, but she seemed to have gathered herself enough to notice how bizarre all of this was. "Why are all of you here? What is going on?"

"All very good questions," Hiroaki said quietly.

Sora approached the emotional women apprehensively. "Um, Mrs Takaishi…"

"Sora, just spit it out," Hiroaki told her gently. "Matt was telling the truth, wasn't he?"

Instead of answering, Sora simply gave a small nod. Nancy gasped.

"But how is that possible?" she asked, looking between the occupants with wide blue eyes. "That's not— It sounded _insane_."

"So did the Digital World at first," Hiroaki pointed out, his voice heavy with regret.

"You mean to tell me," Nancy began, her voice wavering unsteadily, "that TK's mind is _stuck_ in some other – _dimension_?"

"Something like that," Joe answered uncertainly. "It's a little bit more complicated than that."

"That's why we have to rescue him," Patamon added heavily.

"And what about Matt?" Hiroaki asked. "Where is he?"

For a long moment, nobody spoke. Yolei exchanged a worried look with Ken, and he held her closer. She sniffled again.

"_Yolei…_"

"Shove it, Davis!" she screeched.

"Davish," Demiveemon sighed, "you shouldn't be mean to your friends just because you're upset, too!"

"I am not—!"

What was most likely the beginning of another argument between the two hard-headed digidestined (or perhaps Davis and his partner) was cut off by Mimi barreling into the hallway. She threw herself into the doorway of TK's room, cutting off anybody having to answer Hiroaki, and took a second to catch her breath.

"Mimi, what is it?" Joe asked.

"Izzy's done it," she finally gasped out. "It's time to go. We have to go!"

"Finally!" Patamon cheered.

"Then, let's go!" Yolei said, jumping to her feet.

"Go?" Nancy asked. "Go where? What is going on?"

"We'll explain everything later, Nancy," Mrs Izumi promised, stepping forward to take her hand. "Right now, our children are doing everything they can to help TK, and you have to believe that and let them do their thing."

Nancy stared at the other woman for a long moment before she gave a shaky nod. Yolei didn't stick around to see what else happened as she held Poromon with one arm and took Ken's hand with the other. She dragged Ken toward the little room that had become the digidestined's secret hideout. She stepped into the room to find Izzy setting up his laptop on the built-in counter, a heavy look on his face. Tai was standing over Kari and holding her hand while she, Matt, and Cody continued to sleep in apparent peacefulness and their digimon watched over them. Behind her, she could hear everybody else filing into the little room.

"Are you sure you've done it, Izzy?" Mr Izumi asked, stepping up to his son and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Positive," Izzy said. "We tested it on Mimi."

"Thanks for that, guys!"

"Matt!" Nancy gasped tearfully, pushing her way past Jun and Davis who stood in front of her so that she could rush to her oldest son's bedside. "What is he…? Why is he…?" Her watery blue eyes were shooting back and forth between Matt's face and the machines and monitors that he was hooked up to.

Hiroaki stepped up to his ex-wife to take her hand comfortingly. "Not right now, Nance," he said, his voice soft. "I have a feeling that time is of the essence."

The statement was said toward Tai who gave a determined nod. "We have to go," he said before turning to look at everybody else. "We've sent out an email to all of our parents… They'll find it in the morning and know what's going on."

"So, you're just going to leave it for us to deal with, huh?" Jun said with a huff.

Tai gave her a look that attempted to be apologetic but failed miserably. "We can't risk anyone trying to stop us from going."

"Don't worry," Jim said, "we'll take care of things on this end. You guys just go and do what you do best."

Joe turned to look at his brother with a soft smile. "Thanks for everything, Jim."

"Yeah, thanks, Jim," Patamon said from on top of the doctor-in-training's head.

Izzy brought up the Digital Port and looked around at all of the faces in the room. "Gennai is waiting for us with the rest of our digimon. Are we ready?"

Tai picked up Gatomon into his arms as Sora and Mimi picked up Upamon and Tsunomon respectively. Tai scanned the room once more before he gave Izzy a final nod. Mrs Izumi pulled Izzy into a tight hug.

"I love you," she whispered. "Be careful."

"We know you can do it, son," Mr Izumi added. "We know all of you can."

Swallowing down a lump in his throat, Izzy raised his digivice out to the computer as all of the conscious digidestined gathered around him. The on-looking family members backed away as they watched with a growing trepidation.

"Digi-Port Open!"

A white light exploded from the computer and swallowed the eight children and seven digimon. Nancy let out a helpless sob, and Hiroaki's hold on her hand tightened.

"You can do it," he echoed. "At least, I hope so."

x X x

The four Dream World occupants came to a panting stop in front of a large mansion. They had left the snow behind a few minutes ago, but the chill of the winter landscape still hung in the air. The mansion in front of them was almost cartoonish with red roofing and blue paneling along the front. Cody hesitated before heading inside as he felt TK come to a sudden stop. He looked back at the other boy in confusion to find TK looking a bit shocked. Matt and Kari were mirroring his expression.

"What?" Cody asked, looking between the three of them and the house. "What is it?"

"Puppetmon's mansion," TK answered immediately.

"What is that doing here?" Kari asked.

"Well, we are kind of in TK's dream world, right?" Matt said, looking up at the wooden structure with a small hint of apprehension. "This _was_ an important place for TK at the time… It makes sense that it would be kind of imbedded into your subconscious."

TK gave him an unimpressed look. "Great." He gave an impatient sigh. "Can we keep moving now?"

Cody looked back at him. "This is a good place to stop."

His eyebrows shot up. "No way."

Matt walked up to him and grabbed his other arm. "TK, c'mon. We don't have time for this. We don't know how much time you have, and I'm _not_ losing you."

"You want me to go into Puppetmon's mansion to _calm down_?" TK asked, staring at his brother.

"TK," Kari started gently, "Nocnitmon and Calumon are the only digimon you've seen so far, right?"

"I don't know that they're digimon."

"Okay," she sighed, a slightly amused smile on her lips. "Have you seen _any_ digimon since waking up here?" He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. She stepped closer to him and put a comforting hand on his chest. "Then, I think we'll be okay."

Looking quite triumphant, she turned to Cody and gave him a small nod. He started to head toward the entrance of the mansion, dragging TK along behind him. He made a loud sound of protest.

"Don't I have a say in this?" he asked.

Kari and Matt looked at him. "No."

Cody dragged him inside, and TK quickly scanned the foyer of the mansion for any of Puppetmon's tricks and traps. It was empty, though. The jack-in-the-box that TK had been expecting to be sitting on the staircase wasn't there, and he didn't see the bomb disguised as a fire truck anywhere inside. Not aware of the possible dangers that this house could have, Cody chose a direction and started up the stairs as he pulled TK along. Matt seemed only mildly interested in the architecture of the house, but Kari's apparent ease at the situation was slightly dissipating as she kept very close to the boys, her own memories of this place working just fine.

"What are you going to do to get him to calm down?" Matt asked, looking at Cody.

"Same thing my grandfather does for me when I need to calm down," the green-eyed boy answered. "I'm going to guide him into meditation."

TK made a face.

"Meditation?" Kari asked. "You think that will work?"

"TK needs to clear his mind so that he can calm down," Cody explained, completely ignoring the look on his DNA digivolving partner's face. "Right now, he has too much going on, too many things to think about… worry about… Makes it almost impossible to even think about being calm."

"Will he be able to do it?" Matt asked.

"_He_ is right here," TK snapped.

Nobody reacted.

"Hopefully so. In here," Cody said, choosing a room at random. He looked back at Matt and Kari and added, "Why don't you two keep watch?"

"No distractions," Kari said, realizing that was why Cody was sending her and Matt away, "got it."

TK shook his head. "We shouldn't split up."

"We're not," Matt promised, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We're just going to be in the next room. Anything happens, just shout. We'll be able to hear you."

TK looked like he wanted to protest, but Matt and Kari headed into the next room before he could. Blue-green eyes watched after them until Cody forcefully pulled him into the room he had chosen. TK looked around the room with an uneasy interest, realizing that this was the room that he had come into to try to hide from Puppetmon all those years ago. This was not going to work.

"It's going to work," Cody said, as if able to read his mind.

He moved to sit on his knees in the middle of the room while TK continued to stand uncertainly near the doorway. He had half a mind to go running from this place, but he refused to show how truly afraid of this place he felt. He had an irrational desire to go check on his brother and make sure that he wasn't leaving him – _again_ – and that Kari was actually alright as they said they would be. He wanted to grab Cody and get out of here as quickly as his feet would carry him, but that pain returned to his chest, forcing him to bite down on his lip to try to keep from making a sound about it.

Cody turned his eyes onto him. "TK, please, just try." His voice wavered unsteadily with his own fear.

"Cody," TK managed as the wave of pain passed. He took a breath and walked over to the other boy before joining him on the floor, copying his position. "I tried this once before, remember? I was no good at it. Your grandfather said that I think too much."

"You do, but your life wasn't on the line then either," Cody pointed out.

His eyes shut and after a moment, TK followed. The two of them sat in silence as TK listened to the only sound that he could – Cody's breathing. It was rhythmic and even, giving TK a good model for which to copy. But there was also another sound, a second sound that took TK a second longer to realize was even there. It was so subtle that he thought he was just imagining it until he started to focus in on it.

"Do you hear that?" Cody asked quietly.

TK smiled softly. "It's your heartbeat," he realized.

"You're going to be okay," he said quietly. TK opened his eyes to watch his younger friend sit there with a small smile on his face as his eyes remained closed. "I wasn't sure at first… when I couldn't hear your heart… or feel you… I thought…" He cut himself off, unable to continue on. "But now that I'm here, and I can _feel_ that you're here, too… I know. TK, you're going to be fine."

TK frowned lightly. "I'm not worried for me."

Cody opened his eyes to stare at him with a hard look. "We're all going to be fine," he said. "Now, close your eyes, focus on your breathing, and stop thinking."

x X x

Away from the mansion of TK's hiding place but still within the confines of the World of Dream, Nocnitmon stood pacing in front of whirling portal. Her cloak billowed out behind her and her heels clicked against the ground with every impatient step. She stood in a large throne room, a room that had been imagined or remembered from TK's mind – she neither cared which – but she had seen fit to claim as her own during her stay here.

The portal suddenly stopped spinning, causing her to pause in her step until it finally took on the watery image of a figure. She approached the mirror-like image cautiously before dropping down onto bended knee in a bow.

"Nocnitmon, good work," the voice on the other side of the portal said in a booming voice.

Nocnitmon dared to peek up from behind her hood. "Sir?"

"You broke the Child of Hope," the voice said.

"My Lord, I don't think so," Nocnitmon admitted with regret. She was already wincing, waiting for the punishment to come with that statement. "He seems as willing to fight as ever—"

The figure, however, seemed unperturbed. In fact, he smirked. "It was brief, and it was only for a moment. But it was enough." The confusion that Nocnitmon was feeling in that moment must have been obvious as he continued, "Hope, my dear, dear Nocnitmon, is the first and strongest line of defense for the Light. And he just invited us in."

Nocnitmon finally allowed herself to smile as she realized what this meant. She had succeeded. Her job was complete. But she was not one to celebrate early, so she asked, "I see. What should I do with him now?"

"His usefulness has come to an end. Kill him, torture him, turn him… I do not care. Have fun."

"I will," she said, bowing her head once more. "Thank you, Master."

"Oh, and, Nocnitmon?" the figure continued before she could try to get back to her feet. "My sources tell me that you are about to or have already received some very interesting guests. The Child of Light, the former Digimon Emperor, the leaders of the Digidestined… Make sure you greet them properly."

She grinned maliciously. "As you wish, My Lord."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. But if I ever do, you all will be the first to know.

**Author's Note**: I know! It's been forever. For all of you who are still there, thank you so much. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter, and I will try to get Chapter Seventeen out as soon as possible. I think this one is a little short comparatively, and for that, I apologize. However, a _lot_ happens, and I'm proud of it. I hope you don't hate me for the ending. For those of you who are curious, I am currently in the process of starting my career as a professional writer, so most of my creativity has been going to that. I am now in a relaxing period, which is why this chapter has come out! I also managed to find some time to finally _read_ again! It's been so long since I've read an actual book, it's ridiculous! I read the Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series, and I really enjoyed it. So, if you're a fan of Digimon and/or Harry Potter, I highly recommend it. If you're already a fan, keep an eye out. If I can find time, you might see something from me from that series here soon.

I am not a romance writer or an action writer by nature. I find myself as more of an emotional writer, which I'm sure you guys have noticed. But this chapter delves into both of those things, and I would love some creative feedback if you're feeling up to it! Thanks so much, and I hope you...

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen<strong>

"Gennai, there's something I still don't understand," Izzy said as the wind whipped around him.

He was perched on top of Kabuterimon's back along with most of the present digidestined and their partners. Only Yolei and Ken weren't riding on his back, as they were soaring next to them on Aquilamon's back with Wormmon comfortably in one of Ken's arms while his other was wrapped around his girlfriend's waist to make sure he didn't fall off of the aggressive bird's back. Gennai was piloting a Mekanorimon on the other side of the Kabuterimon. Like all of the digidestined, he had an intense expression on his face as he focused on the problem at hand.

He barely spared Izzy a glance before he spoke, "What is it?"

"How were Matt and Kari able to access TK's dreams even before we made the connection?" Izzy asked. "I know you said it's because they were already connected, which I get. TK and Kari's crests are connected through Azulongmon, and Matt and TK are brothers… But Cody didn't reach him, and he's just as connected to TK as they are."

"You're right," Gennai said, "he is, but it's a little bit more complicated than that."

"What do you mean?" Ken asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. He was thinking back to the talk he had with Cody at the school, about that very connection that seemed to have suddenly inexplicably disappear because of whatever was going on. Even now, the former boy genius didn't understand it.

"The part of TK that connects him to Cody, that makes them viable DNA-digivolving partners, that connects him to all of you in much the same way," he spared a glance around at all of the digidestined listening in, "that is the part that is separated from his body at this moment, trapped in the World of Dreams."

Patamon whined softly. "TK…"

"We'll be there soon, Patamon," Gatomon promised.

"And Matt and Kari's connection…?" Tai asked, almost hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer or not.

"Runs much deeper than that."

There was a small smile on Gennai's face that made Yolei giggle lightly even as Tai grimaced in a way that told Ken that this was exactly what he had been expecting to hear but he wasn't very happy about it. He wasn't the only one that looked put off by those words either. Davis had his own look of distaste crossing his face, and Ken watched his best friend for a moment even as the moment passed and the gogglehead returned to his passive expression.

"Uh… Gennai?" Kabuterimon spoke up.

Everybody looked forward to find a thick gray fog up ahead. For a moment, Ken thought it might be smoke, but there wasn't any smell of fire on the wind and there was a heaviness keeping it settled just over the approaching canyon. As he watched, the fog suddenly lit up with an eerie purple glow, and Mimi gave a small squeal of surprise.

"Are we going to fly through that?" Joe asked, making it very obvious that he didn't think it was such a good idea.

"Not through it," Gennai said. "Into it."

"You can't be serious!" Palmon said.

"The portal you need is at the bottom of that canyon. It's where you must go if you want to get to TK."

His words hung heavily on the group for a moment before Tai held up his hand, gesturing to Ken, Yolei, and Aquilamon to start heading down. "Let's land on the edge, see what we're dealing with."

Yolei saluted him. "Roger."

A few seconds later, they were standing just on the edge of the dense fog. Ken reached out to touch it curiously and pulled back a hand covered in condensation. It didn't seem so different from most other fogs other than this one seemed very thick, like a dense rain cloud had fallen into the canyon.

"Jeez, we're not going to be able to see a thing if we fly into that," Davis said. His goggles were over his eyes at the moment as he sat on his hands and knees, trying to stare down into the canyon.

"Davis is right," Tai agreed. "We're going to need to send a scout ahead first, see what we're dealing with."

Patamon leapt up off of the ground and flew to Tai's side. "I'll do it. Whatever helps to get us to TK faster."

Tai gave him a sad smile. "No offense, Patamon, but you're looking a little on the pale side. We better let a digimon that's feeling a little better handle this." Patamon's ears drooped as he sunk back down onto the ground. "Biyomon, do you mind?"

"Not at all!" the pink bird said as she leapt into the air.

"Great, but at the first sign of trouble, you come right back, okay? We don't need you trying to face any sort of enemy head on alone," Tai continued.

Biyomon nodded and headed into the fog. She called over her shoulder, "Be right back!"

"Be careful!" Sora shouted after her, worry all over her face.

Tai grabbed her hand.

"Uh… wait a second…" Mimi said. She was surveying the area, her eyebrows crinkled in thought and a finger to her chin. "Does this place look familiar to anybody else?"

Everybody looked around curiously. Davis started to say, "No," just as Sora spoke up with an, "Actually…" The two digidestined looked at each other confused before turning to look at Mimi for an answer.

"What are you thinking, Mimi?" Palmon asked.

"Well, I could be wrong…" She looked up toward the sky then back down to the spot she was standing on. "But, no, I'm sure of it…"

"Just spit it out!" Tai said.

She glowered for a moment at his impatience before she said, "This is the exact spot I was standing when we defeated MaloMyotismon."

The digidestined and digimon gasped.

"What?" Davis asked. "No way!"

"Of course," Sora said, staring at the area with new eyes. "Davis, you don't recognize it because you were down in the canyon, but the rest of us were up here."

"That's right," Izzy said with a shocked expression. "I was standing over there." He pointed to a rock face that was mostly obscured by the fog.

"And I was right there with you!" Kabuterimon said in his gruff voice.

"And the kids from Australia were right there," Joe pointed out.

"Nice guys," Armadillomon added.

"And Rosa and her Gotsumon—they were over there!" Gabumon said pointing across the canyon to a place in the fog that they couldn't see.

"Okay," Yolei said slowly, still looking confused. "But why are we here? Why back to this spot?"

"Because this is where we opened the hole from the Digital World to the Dream World three years ago," Ken said gravely. He swallowed and turned to look at Gennai. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Gennai nodded.

Davis shook his head. "Whoa, wait a second, hold up. Oikawa gave his life to seal that hole. Are you telling me that there's still a portal down here, and it's causing all of… this?" He gestured to the strange storm that was still spewing out purple lightning every so often.

"Oikawa only delayed the inevitable, I'm afraid," Gennai said, his voice heavy with regret. "When you tear a hole through the fabric of a world like that, a patch is only going to do so much before it can no longer hold what's already been breached."

"So, what is this?" Gatomon asked, staring at the storm with renewed fear.

"The boundaries between the two worlds are starting to blur, and what you see before you, is the excess energy that is being put out by the collision," Gennai said.

Another streak of purple lightning that _cracked!_ a little too close for comfort made them all jump back a few inches out of fear of being hit with it. An echo of a cry of pain sounded from within the fog. Sora stepped forward fearfully and cupped her hands around her mouth before she called out, "Biyomon!" Silence followed for several long seconds until the bird-shaped pink digimon reemerged from the fog and flew right into Sora's arms. Several of her tail feathers were singed, and there was a black char mark across her wings. Sora held her tightly. "Oh, Biyomon, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Sora," Biyomon promised, lifting her head to look up at her partner. "That last strike just got a little close, that's all."

"You're hurt," Sora whimpered.

"I can still fly!" she protested.

"Biyomon, what did you see?" Tai asked.

The bird digimon shook her head. "It's hard to describe, but there aren't any digimon anywhere in there. It's completely empty. But the lightning sure does pack a wallop! And…"

"And what?" Agumon asked, urging her to continue.

"It felt like it was following me!"

Izzy blinked. "The lightning had a sentience? That's something I've never heard of before."

"Maybe it didn't," Joe offered thoughtfully. "Maybe it was attracted to her for some reason."

"Either way, sounds like bad news to me," Aquilamon said. "Somehow, I don't think being a bigger target is going to exactly help."

"Oh, yeah," Kabuterimon said. "This is going to be fun."

"Aquilamon's right," Tai said, glaring into the fog. "We need to split up into smaller teams. Maybe if we give this thing, whatever it is, multiple targets, we'll be less likely to be blasted out of the sky until we reach the ground." He looked at the digimon assembled for a moment before nodding. "Okay, Wormmon, why don't you go ahead and digivolve? And Biyomon, how's the wing?"

Wormmon nodded as Biyomon leapt out of Sora's arms to flap her wings to show them off.

"I'm fine, Tai, I can digivolve!" she said.

Tai looked up at Sora for a final ruling, and she smiled sadly before nodding.

"She can do it," she said softly.

Biyomon turned toward her partner with a beaming smile and flew back into her arms. "Oh, Sora! Thanks for believing in me."

"Anytime," she whispered.

Tai smiled softly. "Okay, you two digivolve then."

"Wormmon digivolve to… Stingmon!"

"Biyomon digivolve to… Birdramon!"

Gatomon sighed sadly as she looked up at the two digivolved digimon. "If Kari were here, I could digivolve into Nefertimon and help out, too."

Patamon's ears drooped. "If TK were here… so could I."

Gatomon looked over at him and put a paw on his back in comfort.

"Alright," Tai said, immediately getting everybody's attention again, "Sora, me, and Agumon will go with Birdramon. Ken, why don't you take Davis and Veemon?"

Davis held up a thumbs up. "Got it."

"Yolei, you'll take Mimi and Palmon," Tai continued.

Yolei grinned and high-fived the pink-haired girl next to her. "Right on!"

"Everybody else, you'll go with Kabuterimon," he finished.

The others nodded in understanding. Everybody moved toward their ride. Gennai stared at the digidestined with something akin to a proud expression before he finally spoke, "This is where I must leave you. I can go no further."

"Gennai," Izzy started hesitantly.

He was the only one that had yet to climb onto Kabuterimon's back yet.

"Yes, Izzy?"

"This is really bad, isn't it?" he asked, gesturing toward the storm that they were about to fly into. "Bad for the Digital World, I mean. Why didn't you tell us? I was under the impression that the Digital World was safe."

Gennai smiled patiently. "I should have," he admitted, "but I and the other entities were under the impression that this was a natural occurrence, no more stoppable or dangerous than an earthquake or the formation of your Grand Canyon. We thought there was nothing that could be done."

"And now…?" Stingmon asked.

"Now, we don't know what to think," he said. "If there is a force behind this, some malevolent creature wishing to tear down the Digital World's barriers, they are very smart and have eluded our detection for years. They must be very cunning, very powerful, and very dangerous… and yet, if they do exist, this is good."

"Good?" Veemon repeated. "I'm sorry, did you just say _good_?"

Gennai grinned. "Yes, I did, because if there is a being behind what's going on here, then that means we can stop the Digital World's destruction, and there may be hope for us yet."

"Real encouraging, Gennai," Gomamon said with his usual dose of sarcasm.

"I had always wondered by the gates remained open after we defeated MaloMyotismon," Izzy admitted as he watched Gennai. "This is probably the reason, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Sometimes, the Digital World itself knows when it needs help before even we entities are aware." He paused thoughtfully. "And, actually, now that I think about it… I believe there may be an ancient prophecy foretelling this event."

"A prophecy?" Armadillomon asked. "About the World of Dreams?"

"About TK?" Patamon asked hopefully.

"Well, don't leave us in suspense!" Tai said. "What does it say?"

Gennai was quiet for a moment before he shrugged. "I don't remember."

Everybody groaned.

He just flashed one of his mysterious smiles before he hit a button on the Mekanorimon, causing the glass shield to come up and over his head, hiding him from view. Even from within the machine digimon, though, they could still hear him speak as he gave them his parting words, "But I urge you, digidestined, to be careful! I cannot tell you what you will encounter beyond this fog, let alone once you enter the portal, but I can tell you that this battle may not only be for TK's life after all. You may be fighting for the entirety of the Digital World once again!"

And with that, he rose up into the air and took off.

x X x

"You're not meditating," Cody accused.

TK was stretched out on the floor, arms thrown behind his head, and legs bent slightly as he stared at the ceiling. At Cody's words, he turned to look at him and smiled a bit sheepishly. He had managed to get into his position quietly as Cody went about his normal meditation routine, but TK's brain refused to shut off, so he went a different route. He started to daydream about better days, better things – that was until his DNA Digivolving partner had caught him not exactly trying to copy his meditative routine.

"I got bored," he admitted.

"_TK…_"

TK sat up and held out a hand to cut him off. "But I feel fine."

Cody narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously.

"Really, I do." Then, he smiled a bit and gave him a pointed look, "Can't you tell?"

He was quiet for a moment as he seemed to try to decide if TK was bluffing or telling the truth before he nodded. TK smiled, satisfied.

"See? I just…" He let out a small relieved sigh. "I couldn't clear my mind. I was thinking about too much. So, I decided to focus on the good things."

His eyes trailed across the room as he spoke before landing on the door without even realizing it. Cody saw it, though, and he finally smiled, a small smile, as the realization hit him.

"You were thinking about Kari," he said.

TK jerked his gaze back to Cody, his face red. "I was not!"

But Cody was not watching TK like he was trying to tease him with this information or judging him for it. He simply looked thoughtful and understanding. He tilted his head as he regarded his DNA Digivolving partner before he smiled almost sadly. He looked off past TK, seeing something only he could see. Whatever it was seemed to calm him almost instantly, and TK wished he could see it too.

"TK, I don't know what you're thinking," he finally said, turning his green-eyed gaze back onto him, "and I can't imagine how you're feeling, but if it were me… I think, just in case, I'd want to say everything I had to say before it was too late."

TK blinked and looked away, uncertain. Cody moved to stand, and TK turned to watch him curiously.

"I'm going to go get Kari," he told him. "Just… think about it?"

He swallowed and nodded. Cody offered him a small smile and headed for the door. Before he could leave, TK spoke up, stopping him.

"Cody," he said, "you're a really smart kid, you know that?"

Cody just smiled before he left the room. TK ran his hands down his face before he moved to stand as well. The world was no longer spinning around him, and he took that as a very good sign. But the last thing he wanted to do was focus on the room he was in and get swept away with memories that he would rather not revisit. He wandered over to the balcony and opened up the windowed doors before he stepped out. The air was cool against his skin, and he took in a deep breath of mountainous fresh air.

This world was so strange. Every time TK turned around, something both completely familiar and completely new would turn up, and the view in front of him was no different. Puppetmon's Mansion originally sat in the middle of a dark green forest with nothing but trees around possibly for miles, but TK was staring out a mountainous hillside and a snowcapped peak. He didn't recognize those mountains in the distance, but the one to the left kind of looked like Mount Fuji.

He leaned against the balcony, elbows on the bannister and his chin in his hand, as he took it all in. In some totally weird way, he had created his own Digital World within his head. It made sense in a rather chilling way. Both his best dreams and his greatest nightmares had all taken place in the Digital World, but he doubted that his Dream World's resemblance to Patamon's home had anything to do with why both Calumon and Nocnitmon had been attracted to it. There had to be more to both of them being here at the exact same time, but the more he thought about it, the more confused he got. What was it that Nocnitmon had said…?

_You are at the top of his list_.

Did that mean that there were more names on that list? Whose? Matt's? Kari's? And why was he at the top? What exactly did he have that _he_ wanted? And who was he? Was Nocnitmon working for somebody? Who?

TK could feel himself starting to get worked up again, and he closed his eyes trying to focus on something else. Anything else. Something happier. Something like—

"Hey."

His eyes popped open, and he turned just in time to catch Kari's smile as she put a hand on his arm. His face heated up from her touch, and he swallowed as he tried to come up with something to say. Turned out, he didn't have to say anything, as a second later, Kari was dropping her hand to turn and look out at the scenery.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

TK let loose the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Yeah," he agreed. "I guess I have a better imagination than I thought."

She smiled softly. "I like your imagination."

He gave her a skeptical look. "Even when you're stuck in it?"

Kari stared down at her hands so that her hair came down around her chin, obscuring everything but her nose from his line of sight. "As long as I'm with you," she whispered.

TK felt his chest catch, but this time it wasn't painful. It felt… hopeful. It seemed like so long since he had felt that emotion, the emotion of his _crest_, that he didn't know what to do with it for a second. He almost wanted to push it aside and focus on his doubt; that was the easier route, after all. He thought of Nocnitmon, of the person or being she was working for, of Calumon, of the visage of Matt's dead body… All of those things gave him very little reason to be hopeful. And then he thought of Matt's hugs, Davis's voice, Cody's words… And then he thought of Kari, and it suddenly wasn't as hard as it had felt the last few hours.

"Me too," he whispered back.

She lifted her head to turn and look at him, a surprised smile on her face. He took a deep breath.

"Kari, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time…" he started.

She turned to face him fully, her auburn eyes staring up into his face. There was no backing out now, and TK found himself oddly at peace with that. He stood up fully so that he was facing her as well. His heart was starting to beat rapidly in his chest again, and he forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down. _Nothing to freak out about_, he told himself, and he found to his amazement that he actually kind of believed it.

"You're my best friend."

For a second, Kari almost looked disappointed with that beginning, but TK didn't let that deter him any. He just continued on.

"And you know everything about me. Sometimes I worry that maybe you know too much… maybe you know something you don't like or maybe knowing too much makes me boring…" Kari giggled lightly like she found that idea funny, and TK grinned self-consciously. "But I love what we have. I'm always so comfortable around you — even now, saying this and knowing what I'm trying to say – I don't feel scared."

Her eyes were starting to shine suspiciously, but a smile sat on her features with her hands clasped in front of her. Even though he was already determined to push through until the end of his speech, if he had needed any further encouragement to continue on, all he needed to see was the look of admiration on her face.

"Kari… You're so much more than a friend to me," he told her, his voice getting quieter with every word but no less honest. "I know I'm only fifteen. I won't pretend that I'm mature enough, or wise enough, or worldly enough to know what love really is… I just know that when I'm around you, I have a pretty good idea."

A pleased blush had settled in her cheeks, and she sniffled as he finished. "Me too," she whispered nervously as she stared up at him. She looked expectant, as if she was waiting for something, and TK didn't stop to think too long or hard before he just acted.

The second their lips touched, it was like the rest of the world disappeared. _This_ was what dreaming was supposed to feel like. The feeling of floating on a cloud as tingles spread from his head down to his toes. Nothing else mattered except this moment, and whatever lingering dark cloud that hung over TK like a shadow seemed to vanish in the warmth of Kari's light. It was better dreaming; it was like waking up, TK decided. But if some doctor told him right then and there that they could get him to do just that, he'd ask them to give him five more minutes just so he could bask in this moment for just a little while longer. He felt the tingles dissipate and get replaced with the feeling of being _right_ where he was supposed to be, and he swore in that moment that he could feel more than just Cody's heartbeat in rhythm with his own.

"Ah, man!"

TK and Kari broke apart, startled, and turned to find Matt standing in the doorway, looking away pointedly. TK grew hot with embarrassment, and Kari covered her own flaming face. The three of them stood there awkwardly, not sure what to say for a long moment, before Matt finally broke the silence.

"Forget ruthless basketball players and evil digimon…" he said, mostly speaking to himself though the couple could hear him just fine from where they were standing across the room. "My best friend is definitely going to end up being the one to kill my little brother."

Kari giggled behind her hands, and a sheepish grin grew across TK's face. He felt a nudge, and he glanced down to see Kari's hand slipping into his own. He intertwined their fingers and ran his thumb across the back of her hand.

_It would so be worth it_.

x X x

What was it that Tai had said right before they had taken off? Oh, right. "_Be careful, and… try not to crash!_" It had seemed like such easy instruction at the time, but that was easier said than done with a force of nature was trying to kill you.

Davis let out a yelp as a _crack!_ of purple lightning struck a little too close for comfort, and he held Veemon a little bit tighter. When Veemon reminded him that he needed to be able to _breathe_, he realized that he had probably been holding on too tight and he let up. He was currently in Stingmon's left arm with Ken immediately to his right in the insectoid digimon's other arm. Stingmon was doing a pretty good job of bobbing and weaving around the lightning strikes. There was a warning before every crack of lightning, a gathering of electricity in the air and small sparks that foretold of a one about to travel from cloud to cloud near them, and Stingmon was keeping his eyes open for those little signs as he worked hard to keep his passengers safe.

But Davis didn't feel any closer to the ground than he did two minutes ago. He looked around worriedly for the other digidestined, but he couldn't see anybody in this dense fog. He felt like he hadn't seen or heard from anybody in ages.

"Do you think anybody's reached the ground yet?" he called over the sound of the thunder booming all around them.

Aquilamon's theory of them being bigger targets eliciting more of a reaction had been right on the money, and Tai's strategy probably saved them from being tomorrow's fried feast. Somewhere, Davis was sure that Izzy was very proud, and also probably very curious about what was setting off all of the electrical currents that were causing these charges in the first place. Davis just wanted to reach the ground without going splat. He didn't think that was too much to ask for.

Ken shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen anybody in a while."

"Wait!" Veemon said. "I thought I heard something…"

Stingmon jerk suddenly to the side with enough speed to give Davis whiplash just in time to avoid a lightning crack that went off right over their heads.

"… On second thought, maybe that was just my stomach," Veemon finished, looking green.

"Oh, please don't hurl all over me," Davis moaned.

"Sorry, Ken," Stingmon apologized as he did another fancy dive and then gained altitude again, avoid two lightning strikes in a row. "Biyomon was right! It's like it's following us!"

Ken looked over at Davis. "Maybe the lightning is focusing on us and the others are already safe?"

Stingmon jerked them to the side again, cutting off what Davis was about to say, which was probably a good thing as it immediately changed his answer. He saw a flash of red in the dense fog, and he squinted through it from behind his goggles before he pointed it out.

"I don't think so, look!" he said.

Aquilamon looked like he was having about as easy of a time avoiding the lightning as Stingmon. Yolei, Mimi, and Palmon were holding on for dear life. Palmon had even used her vines to wrap around both girls and Aquilamon as an emergency belt. As Davis watched, a streak of lightning crackled through the air and hit Aquilmon's back leg. Her roared in pain before he started to fall in a tailspin. The girls screamed.

"YOLEI!" Ken yelled.

"Stingmon! We have to help!" Veemon called out.

Stingmon made to dive after them but a streak of lightning cracked right in front of them, cutting them off. Davis was momentarily blinded by the sudden light, and he had to blink several times before he could see. Aquilamon was flapping his wings again, but it took several long excruciating moments, in which they got further away and harder to see in the dense fog, before he had control back of his flight. By the time, they were gliding comfortably again, they were much closer to the ground now, which was probably good for them. Davis reached up and wiped the condensation off of his goggles before he turned to look at Ken.

"Looks like they're okay!" he said.

Ken looked pale and shaken, but he nodded thankfully all the same.

"Yeah," Veemon squeaked, "but what about us!?"

Davis looked up just in time to see a huge streak of lightning headed right for them. Stingmon yelled, "Hold on!" just as he dodged to the right. He never saw the lightning behind him until it was too late. It sounded like an explosion went off as it connected with Stingmon's left shoulder. He cried out in pain just as his entire left arm went limp. Davis groped blindly for something to hold onto, but he was too slow. The next thing he knew, he and Veemon were freefalling toward the ground.

Ken screamed, "DAVIS!"

Stingmon cried out, "VEEMON!"

Veemon bemoaned, "I wish I had wings right about now!"

And all Davis could think as he screamed at the top of his lungs was, _Man, I really did not want to go splat today_.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Digimon. No matter how hard I try!

**Author's Note****: **One month later! Not bad, eh? I posted another story that I'm doing for a Digimon Challenge called _The Lost Tamer_. I'll be trying to alternate updates between the two stories from now on, but that one's mostly for fun, while this one is my baby. We'll see how it goes. If you're interested, go check it out. Don't forget that I answer review questions on the Digital Connections Forum under the thread titled "Blurring Boundaries: And so it begins..." If you've asked a question, that's where you'll find the answer. That's also where I keep readers updated on whether or not I'll be updating. This chapter is longer than the previous one, so I hope you all enjoy it! The story's really moving along now...

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen<strong>

"Veemon, digivolve!" Davis cried.

"Don't you think I tried that already!?" his panicked digimon replied.

Veemon was waving his arms rapidly as if hoping that if he did so enough times, he would spontaneously grow wings. Davis was very tempted to try the same thing, especially as his words sunk in. Veemon had tried digivolving into ExVeemon, and it had failed. Something was wrong. He wasn't going to be able to spontaneously grow wings in his champion form and whisk them out of the sky. That meant they only had two options: 1) Davis either had to come up with some brilliant plan within the next twenty seconds or 2) they would both become very interesting grass stains on the canyon floor.

_Think, Davis, think!_

The fog came to an abrupt end allowing Davis to see the ground rapidly getting closer and closer as he and Veemon fell to their supposed deaths. A lightning strike had cut off Stingmon and Ken's attempt to reach them, and Davis wasn't sure where Aquilamon and the girls were, but he somehow knew that they weren't anywhere close enough for a rescue. He thought back to how thick the fog was, how loud the lightning rang in his ears, and he knew that it was possible that not a single person besides Ken was even aware that he was in trouble.

Davis knew that if he didn't come up with something quick, he and Veemon were going to become very handsome pancakes on the swiftly approaching ground.

"Davis, do something!" Veemon yelled desperately.

He did the first thing that came to mind; knowing that it was a long shot and that it would probably not work, he reached for his belt and ripped off his D-3 to point at Veemon.

"Digi-Armor Energize!" he shouted.

Unexpectedly, a bright light exploded around Veemon.

"Veemon armor digivolve to… Raidramon!"

It wasn't a moment too soon. Davis shook off his shock and grabbed onto Raidramon's back armor frantically just as a streak of lightning shot toward their falling forms. Raidramon spun around midair, sending them into barrel roll that threatened to make Davis sick, and caught the lightning strike on the sword-horn protruding from his forehead. The horn acted as a lightning rod and absorbed the electricity. The loud crack of energy from the strike was still enough to make Davis go deaf for a few seconds, but at least he wasn't going to be a _fried_ pancake when they hit the ground.

Raidramon turned them so that they were pointed to the canyon floor, and Davis swore that he could feel them start to fall even faster. He squeezed his eyes shut and started to say his goodbyes to the world when Raidramon shouted, "Hold on, Davis!" He didn't know what his plan was, but he moved from just holding onto his armor to wrapping his arms around Raidramon's neck instead just as he shouted, "_Thunder Blast!_"

Davis yelped as he felt them stop midair, even maybe fly upward a few inches, as a ball of blue lightning shot out of Raidramon's mouth. It crashed into the ground below them, creating a small crater, just as they started to fall again. Raidramon shouted, "_Thunder Blast!_" Again, they were thrown back a few inches, as the electricity was shot out. That's when Davis finally caught on. Raidramon was using his attack to _slow_ their descent. He wanted to whoop and call him the smartest digimon _ever_, but all he did was hold onto him tighter.

Besides, they were still coming in way too fast.

"_Thunder Blast! Thunder Blast! Thunder Blast!_ Brace yourself, Davis!"

He didn't need to be told twice.

They crashed into the ground with enough force to create a crater of their own, and Davis was thrown from Rairdramon's back. His feet went flying over his head, and for a moment, the world was upside down, before he somersaulted and landed feet first on the dirt floor several feet away. Pain shot up from his ankles as he continued his fall, landing on his face where something plastic cracked, and then tumbling over himself several times before he finally came to a stop.

He must have blacked out, because the next thing he knew, people were yelling all around him. He groaned as he became aware of the pain, and he forced his eyes open to stare up into the face of his childhood idol, Tai Kamiya.

"Davis, are you okay!?" Tai asked, his face ashen with worry.

"…Ow," was all he could manage.

"Can you sit up?" Sora asked.

Davis found to his immense relief (and everybody else's, it looked like) that he could. He sat there for a moment trying to piece together what happened and get his bearings straight as he looked around at the area. It looked like all twelve digimon and eight human partners had managed to make it to the ground. Birdramon, Hawkmon, and Wormmon were all back in their rookie forms, and Yolei was busy wrapping up Hawkmon's wing with some bandages. Gomamon had digivolved to Ikkakumon, and he, along with Rairdramon (who looked a little scuffed up, but otherwise okay) and Kabuterimon were using their respective horns as lightning rods as they redirected the lightning that was still trying to electrocute the digimon and digidestined sitting on the canyon floor.

He turned to look at Tai. "Is everybody okay?"

Tai frowned. "I don't know. Are _you_ okay?"

Joe pushed Tai aside. "Let me see," he said before Davis could respond.

He pulled out a pen light and shined it right in Davis's eyes. The gogglehead yelped and turned away from the sudden light. That was when he realized he actually wasn't wearing his goggles anymore. Joe just grabbed his face and forced him to look at him as he checked him over, an unhappy pout on Davis's face all the while. After several long annoying minutes, Joe finally nodded satisfied.

"He seems okay," he said.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Davis mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

"He's lucky he has a hard head," Patamon said with a grin.

"…Davis…?" Wormmon said quietly. "I'm really sorry."

Davis looked over at the digimon before grinning widely. "Aww, don't worry about it. I'll just tell Veemon that he needs to lose a few pounds!"

"I heard that!" Rairdramon called out over his shoulder.

"What I'd like to know is what happened!" Hawkmon said from Yolei's lap.

"Yeah, why didn't Veemon just digivolve into ExVeemon?" Armadillomon asked.

"You probably would have had a softer landing," Gabumon added.

Davis looked over at Rairdramon who was looking back over at the group with a somewhat hurt expression. Davis offered a reassuring smile that seemed to lift his spirits before he went into an explanation about how Veemon had been unable to digivolve. Everybody stared at him confused.

"Unable to digivolve?" Biyomon asked. "But me, Hawkmon, Wormmon, and Kabuterimon were fine!"

"I don't know what to tell you," Davis said defensively. "But it's not Veemon's fault!"

"Nobody's saying it is, Davis," Tai said calmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We're just trying to figure out what happened."

"Yeah," Palmon added. "What made Veemon different from the rest?"

"Maybe nothing," Joe said thoughtfully. He was staring above their heads at the dark, ominous fog that still hung overhead. "None of our digimon actually tried to digivolve while we were _inside_ the fog. Maybe it's some sort of inhibitor."

"Joe," Mimi said sweetly, taking his hand as she stared up into his face, "maybe you could try speaking in a language we can understand?"

Joe blinked before blushing lightly at the look he was getting from his girlfriend. He cleared his throat. "What I mean is… maybe something about the fog was making it impossible for Veemon to digivolve. Davis, do you remember if you were outside of the fog when Veemon armor digivolved?"

Davis was barely following along with the doctor's words, but he gave a small shake of his head. "I was a bit too preoccupied with becoming Davis, the ultra-flat one."

"Well, it doesn't matter now, does it?" Sora asked. "Davis is fine and so are all of we, and the fog is way up there."

"I'd agree, but…"

"Just spit it out, Joe!" Patamon said.

Joe still seemed hesitant, but he finally said, "Where did the fog come from?"

Yolei gasped. "You don't think… from the World of Dreams?"

He winced. "I don't think anything. I just know that if we run into this while we're on our way to try to save TK…"

"It could be big problems for us if we reach him, and we can't even digivolve," Tai finished, finally catching on.

Davis gulped. Patamon's ears drooped in worry.

Tai shook off the moment and forced a smile as he held out a hand to Davis. "C'mon, let's get you up."

Davis took Tai's hand, and he was hauled to his feet. He landed on one foot and moved to shift his weight to the other when – _pain_. He nearly crumpled back to the ground and was only saved by Tai and Ken's quick reflexes. Joe returned to his side in a flash.

"Davis?" Ken asked, worriedly, giving his friend a once over to try to figure out what just happened.

He forced on a smile through a pain as he found his balance back on his good leg. "I'm good," he lied through a laugh, "just stood up too quickly." The grimace that crossed his face threatened to give him away, so he barreled on, "What's Izzy doing?"

He hadn't even spotted or heard Izzy yet, but Izzy loved theoretical discussions and hadn't said a word since he had woken up. That meant that Izzy was most likely doing something. Something important. That was Izzy's style. Plus, it seemed like a safe conversation topic. Tai was still staring at Davis with concern before he finally let him go and stepped aside to look over his shoulder toward the computer genius.

As it turned out, Davis had guessed correctly. Izzy was standing in front of what could only be described as three ripples in space. Davis rubbed his eyes several times trying to make sure he was seeing correctly, but the spatial distortions did not disappear. It was like someone had taken a knife to the air and sliced a jagged line straight down the middle three times. Each tear was spastic and unsteady, shaking with energy almost as if breathing. Every so often, purple lightning would shoot out of one of the portals, and Gatomon would leap into the air, intercepting it with her tail ring. It would deflect off of the piece of digizoid and shoot up into the heavy clouds overhead where it would dissipate.

"What in the Digiworld is that?" Davis breathed.

"That is what Izzy is trying to figure out," Sora answered, frowning over at the scene.

"It's worse than we thought," Yolei said. "Gennai spoke as if he assumed there was only one portal down here, but we find _three_."

"But they could all just lead to the World of Dreams, right?" Mimi asked, tugging on her pink hair anxiously.

"They could," Ken agreed slowly. "But do we really want to take the chance?"

"What do you mean?" Davis asked. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

He was still half leaning on Ken, and he was grateful that his best friend hadn't called him out on it yet. He wasn't sure if he was ready to try his foot again yet. It was the same ankle that he had broken at the beginning of the school year. He was pretty sure that his doctor had just had a heart attack somewhere thanks to his reckless action. He was not looking forward to his next checkup.

"Ah, you never got the multiple portal speech, did you?" Tai asked with a wince.

Davis blinked. "TK talked about it once, about how there were multiple worlds, and if they all collided…"

"Darkness," Patamon finished quietly.

"Yeah, there is that," Tai agreed. "But I was talking about the _other_ talk."

Yolei blinked. "What other talk?"

Mimi made a face. "Oh, he's just talking about the one where Gennai told us that there could be a world out there where _we_ are the Digimon or where we swap skins or any other number of creepy combinations!"

Yolei squealed in distaste.

"Well, I say," Hawkmon said, "that rather sounds like fun!"

She glared at him and poked him in the side. "Don't even think about it."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Yolei," he said with a slight pout.

"So…" Davis started with a confused expression on his face, "how do we know which one to choose?"

"That's what Izzy is trying to figure out now," Joe said. "But this isn't like last time, he doesn't have his laptop, and we don't even have cards to guide us the right way."

Tai looked up at the storm raging overhead. "Luckily, our digimon can hold out for a while, but I don't want to stay out here any longer than we have to, especially if the fog could mess with our ability to digivolve. But Izzy'll figure it out. I know he will."

"He has to," Patamon whispered.

Davis gave the digimon a pitying look that was cut off when he felt Ken shift next to him. He raised his gaze to look at his best friend, and he grimaced upon seeing the look on his face. For a moment, he thought Ken was going to call him out on irritating his sports injury from the fall. That was the last thing he needed right now. Everybody needed to focus on the problem at hand, which was TK, not his ankle that started to act up. But then he realized that the look on Ken's face was not urging him to speak up but rather… apologetic?

"Dude, why are you staring at me like that?" he asked bluntly.

Ken winced. "I… I found these. I thought you might want them even though they're… you know…"

Davis looked down and felt his stomach twist uncomfortably into knots in his abdomen. There, clutched pathetically in Ken's trembling hand, crumpled and in several pieces with an entire lens missing, were Davis's goggles.

x X x

From within the abandoned hospital room, it was hard to tell the time. There was no clock hanging on the wall or a window to glance outside. Jim wasn't sure if he had been in here for forty minutes or forty hours, but he was more likely to lean to somewhere in between since his stomach was rumbling with hunger, but he wasn't about to fall over in exhaustion just yet. For being a room that was trying to remain completely under the radar of every other person in the hospital, they had quite a lot of foot traffic coming and going as the Izumis, Mrs Takaishi, and Mr Ishida constantly left and returned for various errands. Dr Kinjo had come and gone a few times, though he seemed to be spending most of his time in TK's room instead of this one, probably to avoid too many questions being asked.

Or maybe he was still fighting with the moral implications of what he was doing. Jim really hoped that wasn't the case. The last thing they needed was to suddenly have to deal with the police knocking down their doors for illegal use of hospital space and who knows how many other felonies they were committing.

"What's the deal with your dad?"

Jim nearly jumped out of his skin. He had completely forgotten that Jun Motomiya was still in the room, and he spun toward the girl who seemed to be quite entranced in monitoring Matt's vitals. When Jim didn't answer right away, she turned toward him with a curious look paired with a knowing smile.

"Yoohoo!" she called out, waving a hand in his direction. "Did you hear me?"

He blinked from behind his glasses a few times before he managed, "Uh, yeah, I did… Why do you ask?"

"Dr Kido is only the most renowned doctor in Japan, but we're relying on a total stranger to help us with this," Jun pointed out. "There's a story there."

Jim winced but made no move to answer her; he wasn't sure _how_ to answer her.

That didn't seem to deter Jun at all. She just put a thoughtful finger to her chin as she said, "Let's see… if I can guess on the first try, you owe me lunch. _Not_ from the hospital cafeteria."

He blinked. "What…?"

"I'm thinking absent father, realistic man, not a big believer in the Digital World, which means he's probably not a big fan of your career choice, because you're the Digital World Researcher, right?"

Jun spoke as if she made it all up off the top of her head, but she was right on every single point, leaving Jim with a gaping-mouth shocked look. He was frozen as he stared at her, and Jun just smiled as if she had been expecting this reaction all along.

"You owe me lunch," she sing-songed.

She moved about checking Matt's IVs that were feeding him the fluids that he was unable to take in himself in his comatose state. Then, she moved to the machine hooked up to him and hummed to herself as she double-checked the numbers and cross-referenced them with the numbers that Dr Kinjo had written down on a piece of paper earlier. Jim still had not moved from his frozen state.

"How… how did you…?" he finally managed.

"I'm good at reading people," she said as if that explained everything.

It really didn't.

Apparently satisfied with all of Matt's vitals and IVs, she grabbed his hand and moved it to lie across his stomach instead. "Move over, Matty-boy," she said before propping herself up on the edge of Matt's bed.

"Why are you doing this?" Jim blurted out.

Jun stared at him for a long moment, as if she were trying to decide what he was asking, before she smiled as she tilted her head. "Davis is the biggest pain in the butt you'll ever meet," she said with a long-suffering sigh. Then, with a touch of affection, she continued, "But he's… Davis. And he's the only one I got. I have to do my part in making sure he doesn't totally screw all of this up somehow." Then, brighter, she tacked on, "Plus, it's good practice!"

"Practice?" Jim repeated.

"For when I'm a nurse!"

Jim blinked several times. "_You're_ going to be a _nurse_?"

"I know, a perfect fit, right?" Jun said with a bright (and slightly clueless) smile. "I've always been really good at reading people, especially to know when they're lying, and now I can just pair that with a little medical knowledge… I mean, I had to take biology twice before I passed it, but I did and that's all that matters."

"Uh…"

"I know, Davis never mentioned it," she said with a big sigh, "but he can be a bit clueless sometimes. I don't even think he knows what grade he's in half the time!"

Jim at least managed a small laugh at that even as he wondered if Jun realized how well that description fit for her as well. He didn't think that was necessarily a bad thing, though. As much as he would really rather _not_ have her as his nurse ever, he also decided that her personality – at the very least – could do wonders on keeping even the crankiest people upbeat. That had to count for something.

"So, that's how you knew about my dad," he realized, "because you heard about him through your school."

"Nope," she said brightly. "That was all a guess. Like I said, I'm really good at reading people. You're not getting out of our date, Jim Kido!"

Jim blinked. _Date?_

"It must have been really brave of you to give up your established career to chase something your dad doesn't even believe in," Jun continued without needing any prompting. "Is that why you're doing this?"

For a moment, Jim just stared at her. Jun spoke so quickly, changing subjects without even pausing, that she left Jim in the dust. He had a hard time keeping up with her, but with her face so open and without any sort of guard, he felt compelled to try to meet her word for word. Considering her speed, he knew that was impossible, but the least he could do was give her something back. He removed his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt as he finally spoke.

"My mom died when Joe was really little," Jim admitted. "I don't think Joe even really remembers her… or anything really before she died, but Dad… He wasn't always the workaholic he is now. He used to be different, fun-loving, really made the idea of being a doctor something to be proud of… That is, until medicine failed to save Mom, and suddenly being a doctor was just a _job_, a job that he expected Joe and I to follow in his footsteps in and be just as good as. By the time Joe was a digidestined, I was looking for a way out, and when Joe tried to tell Dad what he did, how he saved the world, he thought Joe just had way too active of an imagination, and the Digital World became a forbidden topic in the Kido household." He stared off at nothing, a far off look on his face. "But I always knew… I had been there; I had seen the whole thing. I knew what Joe did, and I knew that I wanted to know more. When I met Dr Takenouchi, I took the chance and left my job, went to go study under him instead. Dad was furious. He thought I was delusional." He winced a bit. "He thinks Dr Takenouchi is delusional. There's a reason they've never met."

The last comment was just a side comment to Jun who had been listening with rapt attention the entire time.

"That doesn't really explain why you're doing _this_," she pointed out. "There are probably other ways that you could be helping other than revisiting an old career."

"I never hated being a doctor," Jim said. "In fact… I rather liked it. It just wasn't my calling."

Jun smiled as if she knew something that he didn't, but before he could ask her what that was about, the door to the room opened. Jim spun around, his heart hammering anxiously in his chest, and dodged out of the way just in time to avoid being mowed down by a hysterical dark-haired woman. It took him a few moments as he watched her rush to Kari's bedside – and noting the similarities in facial structures and the shape of the eyes – before he recognized her as Mrs Kamiya.

"Kari!" she cried as she stared down at her unconscious daughter with wide teary eyes. She looked around the room frantically and asked, "Tai? Where's Tai!? How could he let her do this? Where is he!? Oh, Kari!"

Mr Kamiya came up behind her and gently rubbed her back, attempting to offer some silent comfort.

"He's in the Digital World already, Mrs Kamiya," Jim explained softly. "Possibly already in the Dream World. We're not sure."

Whether she heard him or not, it wasn't clear. She just turned in her husband's arms and started to cry against his chest. He held her to him without a word. Jim looked over at Jun who was blinking at the couple before she turned to look at him. She pointed toward the door, and he nodded before following her out into the hall. He still had no idea what time it was, but now seemed as good a time as any for their lunch date. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

"That's the one part I did hate," he admitted, picking up their previous conversation where they had left off. He glanced over his shoulder back toward the room just before they turned the corner. "Delivering the bad news."

Jun just nodded, not needing him to elaborate.

x X x

Ken stared down at Davis, feeling guilty for something that he didn't even have any control over. Davis sat and stared miserably at his broken goggles like he had lost an old friend. Ken didn't have the heart to interrupt him, but he also didn't feel right leaving his best friend's side. So, he just stood there, waiting for him to say something to show that he was going to be okay. Not that Ken had any doubt, but the reassurance would be nice.

"This sucks," Davis muttered before pocketing the broken goggles.

Finally. _Something_.

"Davis," Ken said quietly to get his attention.

Davis looked up at him, and Ken fidgeted nervously under his friend's stare. He already looked pretty dejected, and the last thing he wanted to do was make his life a bit harder, but…

"About your ankle…?"

The gogglehead groaned. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

Ken frowned. "You did hurt it again, didn't you? It wasn't just my imagination."

"I'm fine," Davis said waving it off.

"You need to tell somebody," Ken continued, refusing to let his best friend's flippancy get to him. "Ignoring it will only make it worse. Somebody should wrap it for you. It'll at least make it easier for you to walk on."

"I just need to stay off of it for a few minutes, that's all!" Davis protested. Then, quieter, he added, "…Ken, please?"

The former boy genius blinked as he saw something in Davis's eyes that he hadn't seen in quite a while: vulnerability. Even when Davis had been hurt and lying in the soccer field all those weeks ago, he had been strong and unwavering, so to see that expression on his face as he practically begged him not to say anything left Ken in an uncomfortable position. Going against his better judgment, he nodded slowly, and Davis let out a sigh of relief.

"Let it rest," he said lamely, knowing that was the best he was going to get out of him.

That careless grin back in place, Davis saluted him. Ken hesitated for a moment long before he finally walked away from him, not knowing what else to say. He didn't understand what all was going on inside Davis's head right now, and he wasn't sure if he ever would. Sometimes Davis was so strong that it was easy to forget that even he had off days, but today seemed like a really bad day to have an off day.

Shaking himself of his concern, Ken joined the gathered digidestined and digimon who weren't on lightning duty. Everybody was gathered around Izzy who was pacing back and forth in front of the three tears in space. Every so often, Gatomon would leap up to catch a lightning strike with her tail ring. Armadillomon was in on the action, too. Having discovered that his shell could be used to repel the lightning as well, he was leaping into the air, curling into a ball, and taking the lightning strikes that Gatomon missed. It had become something of a game. Patamon, Wormmon, Gabumon, and Hawkmon were applauding at every spectacular save.

"Izzy, we can't sit here all day!" Tai said. His eyebrow was twitching with impatience. "My sister needs us!"

"I know that, Tai!" Izzy snapped. "But do I need to remind you what could happen if we choose the wrong portal?"

Tai groaned in frustration. "I know that, but we're wasting time."

Izzy sighed. "If only I had my laptop…"

"Well, you don't," Sora said as gently as she could. "Maybe there's only one thing we can do."

"What's that, Sora?" Biyomon asked.

"Split up."

An outcry of _What!_ immediately responded to her words. Joe raised his hands for silence and everybody fell quiet once more, eyes on the doctor-in-training.

"I don't like it either," he admitted, "but maybe Sora's right."

"Joe, you can't be serious!" Palmon asked, scandalized.

Mimi took Joe's hand as she stared up into his face. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

He shrugged. "It might be our only option. Izzy and Tai are both right. We can't stand to waste any more time, but there's no way to know for sure which portal to take."

"Thanks a lot for the help, Gennai!" Agumon harrumphed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Tai's face twitched, as if trying to stretch into a smile, before he sighed. "I guess that's that, then. We're splitting up."

Ken's stomach twisted uncomfortably at the idea. With only eight of the digidestined here and three portals to choose from, that means that they were going to be split into two teams of three and one team of two. And without knowing where the other two portals led to, they could end up having to go on two extra rescue missions as soon as they got TK, Matt, Cody, and Kari out of there, assuming that they would have enough manpower to do it in the first place. Factoring in the time difference between the Real World and the World of Dreams, it could end up taking them days, possibly _weeks_ before that rescue mission could even take place…

He wanted to shout, put his foot down, give an irrevocable _no_ to this idea, but he couldn't seem to find his voice. Without Davis at his best and able to back him up to his fullest, he felt powerless. He glanced around, desperate for someone to feel the same as him, but most of the digidestined seemed resigned to their fates. Even Yolei, as wonderfully stubborn as she could be sometimes, was putting on her battle face, ready to take on whatever challenge was ahead of her – and that challenge did not include fighting against this plan that Ken feared was positively suicidal.

"_**The left portal."**_

The voice came out nowhere but was so clear that Ken nearly leapt out of his skin in his haste to turn around. Nobody was there. The only person behind him at all was Davis who still sat several feet away from the group. Patamon had extracted himself from the show of watching Gatomon and Armadillomon's acrobatics to give him some company instead. If Ken wasn't covered from head to toe in chills, he would have found the scene cute. He was almost ready to let it go, assume that it had just been a trick of the wind, when he heard it again:

"_**The one you want is the left portal. The portal to the World of Dreams."**_

Ken spun around, trying to find the source, but there was nothing and nobody unusual around. Nobody else was even reacting to it either. It was pretty clear from the total non-reaction from the other digidestined that he was the only person hearing this voice. That didn't exactly make him feel any better.

"Ken?"

He nearly jumped again before realizing that this voice was different. He looked down at his feet and found Wormmon staring up at him with a concerned expression.

"Ken, you're pale," he pointed out. "You don't look well. Is everything okay?"

He reached down and picked him up into his arms. "I don't know Wormmon," he admitted, hugging him close. "I… I thought I heard something…"

His eyes widened. "You're not hearing voices again, are you?"

Ken's face colored with shame. _Please_, he thought desperately, _not that again_.

Before he could respond, Tai called out to get everybody's attention. He was putting everybody into their groups and assigning them which portal they were going to go through. Ken felt his stomach clench uncomfortably again.

"_**Listen to me, Ken. It's the left portal. You have to hurry."**_

Throwing all caution to the wind, Ken cried, "WAIT!" Everybody froze before turning to stare at him. He went red under their stares, but he knew that he couldn't back down now. "It's the left portal. That's the one we want."

Yolei stepped up to him. "Uh… not to doubt you or anything, but how do you know that?"

"Yes, Ken," Hawkmon said, coming to his partner's aid, "tell us. The knowledge does seem quite random!"

"I… I don't know," he said. He didn't feel like trying to explain the voice he heard; he didn't think it would make his words sound that much more believable. "I just do. It's the left portal."

"If you're wrong…" Tai started.

"I'm not wrong!" Ken snapped with a lot more conviction than he realized he had.

"If Ken says it's the left one, then it's the left one," Davis said suddenly from his side.

When he had moved to join the group, Ken wasn't sure, but he had never been more grateful for Davis's support than in that moment.

Tai turned to Izzy. "What do you think?"

"I think we should listen to him," Izzy said.

Ken blinked in surprised. "You do?"

He smiled. "Staying together is always the preferable option, and if somebody has some idea on which one we should choose, we should listen to it." He winced and turned to Sora. "No offense."

She held up her hands. "None taken. I definitely prefer having a direction than walking in blindly."

Tai nodded. "Okay. Then, it's agreed. We're all going into the left one."

Yolei joined Ken on his other side and took his hand into her own. She smiled up at him, her face radiating pride and complete and utter trust. Ken felt his stomach do flip flops like it often did when he was around his girlfriend. Even though they had been dating for a while, it still felt so new and fragile, like anything he did could end it at any moment. And yet Yolei always remained faithfully at his side. Her sure hoped this wasn't the decision that did them in.

That did them all in.

"Everybody, gather up!" Tai announced.

The two champions and one armor digimon backed up, tightening the circle around them as everybody gathered in front of the left most tear in space. Tai held up his digivice and the other seven digidestined followed his action, Ken among them. Light surrounded them as Ikkakumon, Kabuterimon, and Raidramon de-digivolved, and everybody's digivices activated as they were sucked into the portal. As Ken felt a tug on his naval, he couldn't help but hope that he was right.

_If you are who I think you are… I really hope you weren't lying… I really hope you're on our side… I hope you really are just trying to give us a helping hand instead of lead us astray… We could really use a little bit of help right now, and I don't want to be the one that causes us to fail… Please, please, be on our side… _

_Oikawa. _

x X x

TK sent a furtive glance toward the door where Kari had disappeared two seconds ago before he returned his attention onto his brother. "If you have something to say, then say it," he mumbled, sounding embarrassed.

Matt immediately understood why. Even after Matt had interrupted the kiss (a scene that he would never be able to wash from his mind, thank you very much), the two brand new lovebirds had gotten lost gazing into each other's eyes. As far as they were concerned in that moment, nobody else beyond the dream balcony even existed. Matt was pretty sure that he could have slipped away without either of them noticing or even remembering he had ever been there, but he wanted to talk to TK, even more so after catching him kissing Kari.

He wasn't exactly upset by what he had caught them doing. Though he initially had a moment of thinking that they were both too young for dating, he realized that he was pretty off base with that, especially considering his own dating history. Somewhere between summer camp seven years ago and a traumatic basketball injury, TK had grown up, and Kari had refused to be left behind. Now, they were choosing to continue growing together, and Matt couldn't fault them for that. He couldn't even be surprised. Hadn't it only been four days ago that he had been ribbing TK about this very crush? He should have been ecstatic. He just hadn't expected it to happen so soon, and especially not right now in the middle of everything going on.

"What do you want me to say?" Matt asked.

"Well, you aren't happy," TK sighed, disappointed.

Matt closed his eyes. They were sitting on the lone desk in the room. Matt's back was to the perpendicular wall, one leg stretched out across the desk while the other was bent so that his knee could act as an armrest. TK sat at his feet on the edge of the desk with his legs hanging over the side. He was hunched over, the heels of his palms bracing him there, as he stared down at his dangling feet.

"That's not it," Matt finally muttered.

"Then what?" TK asked, sending him a lost look. "I've been stuck in this world for what feels like forever, chased by blobs of darkness, felt like I lost my mind, had my worst nightmares come to life, and _finally_ something good comes out of it… and you're acting like I did something wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Matt said immediately. "It's just… is now really the best time to be thinking about _that_?"

"I might not have a later, Matt!" TK said.

Matt felt his blood run cold. "Don't say things like that, TK…"

"Why not?" he asked, his voice heated. "It's true! You know it is! And I just… I just couldn't stand the thought of her never knowing…"

His voice started to tremble with repressed emotion, and Matt immediately moved so that he was sitting hip-to-hip with his baby brother. He put an arm around him and watched the top of his bowed golden head worriedly.

"It's okay, TK. Just… calm down," he told him.

"I am calm," TK said, sounding a bit like a petulant child.

Matt almost smiled. Almost. "Whatever you say."

TK took several deep breaths before he finally seemed to get himself under control. He brought his arm up and wiped his sleeve surreptitiously across his face. He sniffled quietly and looked up at his big brother with turquoise eyes.

"I'm not mad," Matt offered.

"I know," he said. "And I know this isn't exactly… ideal… or normal… or how I ever pictured it happening, but…" His expression turned into a grimace as he seemed to realize just how strange this entire situation was, and he gave a helpless shrug, unable to say anymore.

"No," Matt agreed, "but… it's memorable? I'll give you that."

TK rolled his eyes.

"And," he continued with a wide grin, "it's pretty ironic when you think about it. Kari is literally the girl of your dreams."

TK went beat red before shoving Matt off the desk without warning. Matt yelped and barely managed to keep his footing before he started to laugh at the expression on his little brother's pouting face.

"You're not funny," he deadpanned.

Matt grinned. "I think I'm hilarious. In fact, I was thinking of opening my concerts with a standup comedy routine to get things going from now on."

TK cracked a smile. "You might want to stick with your day job." Then, looking a lot more uncertain, he added quietly, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seemed…" TK gave a one-shoulder shrug, unsure of how to describe it.

Matt sighed, though, knowing exactly what he meant. "Yeah, I know, Teeks. Sorry about that. I just… I don't want to see you do anything that you'll regret."

He gave him a confused look. "Like what?"

"Like…"

Matt hesitated. Should he even say anything at all? TK still had a pleasant glow in his cheeks from the kiss earlier, and talking about Kari, no matter the context, was putting a sparkle in his eyes that made Matt feel like he was threatening to kick his puppy. He knew it was irrational. After all, TK didn't even _own_ a puppy, and it's not like he'd ever kick Patamon. But still… He didn't like being the one to bump TK off of Cloud 9 right after he had what Matt could only assume was his first kiss. But he'd started this, so he might as well finish it.

"I don't want this to ruin your friendship with Kari." He paused. "…Or Davis."

TK winced like the idea had just hit him, and he looked down at his feet miserably, successfully making Matt feel like the biggest jerk on the planet. Way to rain on his brother's parade. Matt opened his mouth to somehow rectify what he had just said, maybe backtrack a bit, but TK beat him to it. He let out a long sigh before looking up at Matt with a puppy-dog expression that really should not have been effective at nearly sixteen years old but melted Matt's heart just the same.

"Can't I just worry about all of that… later?" he asked hopefully. "I don't want to hurt Davis, and I definitely don't want to ruin my friendship with Kari, but…"

Matt smiled. "If you're happy," and TK nodded eagerly to show that he was, "then I'm sure it will all work out."

TK smiled back at him, and he opened his mouth to say something else when the entire building suddenly shook. Matt caught the wall to keep from toppling over, and TK fell from the desk, barely managing to catch himself on the edge with his hands before he hit the ground. The shaking came to an abrupt stop, and the brothers stared at each other wide eyed.

"What was that?" TK asked.

"Earthquake?" Matt guessed.

"In a dream?"

There was something in his expression that let Matt know that he knew exactly what was going on; he was just reluctant to say anything out of fear of being right. Matt felt himself go pale. That meant it could only be one thing…

"TK!"

Kari barreled into the room, Cody right behind her, and TK threw himself from the desk to catch her in his arms. Puppetmon's Mansion shook again, the very foundation trembling with the movement, and the four digidestined screamed as they were thrown off their feet. Matt finally understood what was going on as the floor beneath them started to slant. TK held onto Kari tightly as the floor proceeded to wobble the other way. Cody lost his balance, and Matt reached out to catch Cody around the chest before he went sliding across the floor into the opposite wall.

"Got you!" he said.

"What's going on?" Cody exclaimed.

"Puppetmon's Mansion," Kari said, her hands fisted into the front of TK's shirt. "It's alive."

Cody's green eyes widened in alarm.

"For the record," TK said, "I _did _say it was a bad idea to come in here!"

Any retort was cut off as all four of them felt their stomachs drop out beneath them as the strangest feeling of vertigo took over. Matt looked out the glass door, out across the balcony, and watched with mounting horror as Puppetmon's Mansion _stood_ with them still inside of it. From where he was currently holding onto the wall with one hand and Cody with the other, he couldn't see exactly how high they were, but if memory served correctly, they had just gained about a dozen stories in height. Several feet in front of him, TK suddenly tensed.

"Shadows," he muttered.

Matt turned to where he was staring to see shadows literally _leaking_ into the room like water. Having not been afraid of the dark since he was at least two, the sudden fear he felt at the sight was nothing short of irrational. But considering the way the shadows were moving across the floor as if searching for something, stretching out like fingers reaching for its favorite toy, Matt also figured it was completely warranted. He and Cody scrambled backwards away from the darkness creeping toward them, and he saw TK throw himself to his feet out of the corner of his eye. He ran to the balcony doorway before coming to a sudden stop as the color left his face.

"She's here," he whispered.

The suspense was too much. Matt got to his feet and joined his brother at the balcony archway. He felt his blood run cold. There, hovering several hundred feet away on a sea of darkness, high above the treetop, was the digimon of nightmares. Nocnitmon.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Digimon. Even if I hold my breath until I turn blue.

**Author's Note**: I haven't forgotten about this story, no matter how much it may look like I have. I am just kinda trudging along with it now instead of speeding along like I was at the start. I still have very vivid dreams of finishing this story, and since I finished Coughing & Wheezing, I really believe that I can finish this one as well. Hopefully there's still a few people out there who are interested in how it's all going to come together.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen<strong>

"Where are we?"

Mimi's voice seemed to echo off of the—well, walls wasn't exactly an accurate description. They were standing in the middle of the strangest landscape of shapes and colors, none of which made any sense. Sora felt like they had just stepped into someone's terrible hallucination, and she took a step back toward Tai, trying to soak up some of his courage. She found herself afraid for reasons that she couldn't even explain. This entire place was just… _wrong_.

"The World of Dreams," Ken answered, looking as disturbed as Sora felt.

"Just as creepy as I remember it," Gatomon said.

"And confusing," Veemon complained.

"That's great and everything," Yolei said, as she grabbed onto Ken's hand probably for her own comfort as well as to offer her boyfriend a little comfort in return, "but I thought we were supposed to wind up in TK's dream? This looks like the place where we battled MaloMyotismon."

"That's because I believe this _is_ the place where we first battled him," Hawkmon said. "Unless there are other creepy worlds out there."

"Could be," Biyomon said. "You never know!"

"Thanks for the reassurance, Biyomon," Joe sighed. He pushed his glasses up his nose as he looked around the area. "But I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that Ken's led us to the right place… but how do we get to TK now?"

"We need to hurry!" Patamon said. "I need to get to TK…"

"I know, Patamon," Tai said. His arm slipped around Sora's waist as he clutched Matt's digivice tightly in his hand. "I just don't know how… Any bright ideas, Izzy?"

The computer genius stared at the world around him with wide excited eyes. "I'd love the chance to be able to study this phenomenon… Is it digital like the Digital World or is it something else entirely? Gennai mentioned that it was created off of the collective conscience of the human world, but that's not so different from the Digital World. I wonder how similar they really are…"

"Izzy!" Tentomon snapped. "Maybe we can do this _later_?"

Izzy blinked before realizing that everybody was staring at him. "Oh, right… Uh, what was the question?"

"We need to get to TK!" Patamon snapped.

"And the others," Gabumon added.

"I know that," Izzy said, though he was aware enough to sound ashamed at his distraction. "But, to be honest, Patamon, I'm not sure what we're supposed to do now. This isn't exactly an—"

"—exact science," Tai finished with a groan. "We know."

"So, what now?" Gatomon asked. "We can't just sit here like a couple of helpless kittens while Kari and the others are in danger! We need to do something!"

"Gatomon's right," Armadillomon said. "Our friends need us."

Izzy nodded solemnly. "I know. I'm thinking."

He started to pace back and forth, one arm crossed in front of his chest and a hand on his chin. His eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought, but Sora had seen that look before. It was the look of a genius who didn't have the slightest idea how to solve the problem. This wasn't good.

Sora let out a helpless sigh as she turned to look at the rest of the group. She had nearly forgotten that most of the group had been up for several days straight, but she could see how wilted everybody looked. They were about to head into battle with most of them at half energy, some even less. Her stomach clenched with worry. She could not see how this was going to end well, but she couldn't even attempt to speak up. What would she say? _Wait, guys. I think we need to take a nap first!_ She'd never consider it. Not with TK, Matt, Kari, and Cody's lives on the line. They would just have to make do with the energy they had.

Yolei let out a small whimper and sunk down to her knees. She held Kari's pink D-3 in her hands, and Sora could see her hands shaking. Ken looked too lost in his own thoughts to be much of a comfort. The redhead detached herself from Tai to go over to the younger girl. She lowered herself in front of her and took Yolei's hands into her own.

"Yolei," she started softly before freezing. Her breath caught as she stared down at Kari's D-3. "Of course…"

Yolei blinked. "Sora?"

Sora shot up to her feet. "Maybe we're thinking too hard about this," she said.

Everybody turned to look at her, looking just as confused as Yolei.

"What do you mean?" Biyomon asked.

"How do we get to every other place we need to get to?" Sora asked. She held up her digivice. "We use our digivices!"

Patamon gave her a funny look. "But we're already in the Dream World," he said.

"Yeah, we just need to find a way to get onto the same wavelength as TK," Gatomon said. "Oh, and trick the world into thinking we're asleep."

"But didn't Gennai say that our digivices connected us?" Mimi said. "Maybe Sora's right."

"It's worth a shot," Tai said, smiling proudly at his girlfriend.

"What about the whole tricking the world into thinking we're asleep thing?" Davis asked, blinking.

"Come on, Davis," Veemon said, punching his partner in the knee with a grin. "Weren't you the one that taught us that anything is possible if we just believe in it hard enough?"

Davis looked down at TK's D-3 in his hand for a moment before he grinned. "That was me, wasn't it?"

Sora gave him a sly smile. "Now, don't go be getting all full of yourself."

"Come on, guys!" Tai called out, pulling out his own digivice as he held it out in front of him. "Just think of the others. We have to get to them one way or another. There is no other option."

"Hear, hear!" Agumon cheered.

Sora pulled out her own digivice and held it out in front of her. The digidestined gathered around, all eight currently present and accounted for, surrounded by twelve digimon. The eight active digivices were held out into the middle of the circle where, for a moment, nothing happened. Just as Sora was starting to doubt her own theory, each of the devices started to beep. A bright light exploded around them before fading, leaving them in an entirely new location. Sora blinked.

"Okay…" Mimi said slowly, looking around. "_Now_ where are we?"

They were standing in the middle of the street of some darkened city. Some of it looked familiar, but mostly it just looked all wrong, like buildings had been dropped here from all over. The structures and patterns of the buildings didn't make much sense. It was a jumble of architectures from all around the world. Sora's hand dropped as confusion replaced alarm. Had something gone wrong?

"I have no idea," Tai admitted.

"I think that's the least of our problems right now," Gatomon said. She was on all fours, and her fur was standing on end as she stared down one of the many alleyways that surrounded them. "We've got company."

Sora turned to look in the same direction, and she felt her heart skip a beat. The city wasn't darkened, because it was the natural state of things. The shadows that caused the darkness were alive, unnatural, and starting to move and grow into shapes. A strange feeling settled in her bones; it was the feeling of pure despair. She had only felt this once before, seven years ago, in the Dark Cave that had rendered her paralyzed in her own self-loathing. She could feel the paralysis trying to take control of her once more, but she shook it off.

"What is _that!?_" Palmon squeaked.

"Darkness," Ken whispered. "Pure evil…"

_Yes_, Sora realized. That was exactly the feeling she was getting from it. Pure darkness, evil, the black pit of despair. The same darkness that had tried to drown her before. They were staring right at it.

"I don't care what it is! It's not going to stop me from getting to my sister," Tai said. "Agumon, digivolve!"

"Uh, I hate to break it to you, Tai," Agumon said, "but I _can't_."

Sora looked desperately over at Biyomon who was already shaking her head. "Me either!" she said.

"_Digi-Armor Energize!_" Yolei cried out desperately.

"I'm afraid it seems that digivolving is not an option right now," Hawkmon said.

"It's the darkness," Wormmon said. "It's the same mist that was outside the portal. It's not allowing us to digivolve."

"Oh, that's just great," Joe groaned.

"Hey, look on the bright side!" Gomamamon said. "At least you were right!"

"I've got an idea," Gatomon called out. "_Run!_"

She took off running down the street, and not having any better ideas, everybody followed her.

x X x

Whatever Cody expected Nocnitmon to look like, the real thing was ten times scarier. He clung to the doorframe that led out to the balcony, his entire body trembling as he stared at the Mistress of Nightmares floating above the forests. She seemed too far away and too shrouded in darkness to be able to see the digidestined very well, and yet Cody got the feeling that she was staring right at them with perfect vision. She knew exactly where her prey were, and she knew very well they were trapped.

Puppetmon's Mansion stood to its full height, trapping them hundreds of feet up in the air. The darkness continued to swirl around them, lapping at their feet like waves. The four digidestined stood huddled at the balcony entrance, reluctant to expose themselves fully to Nocnitmon but desperate to escape the darkness leaking into the room. And to make matters even more hopeless, their digimon, as far as they knew, were still in an entirely different world.

They were screwed.

"How are we supposed to fight her?" Kari asked.

"I… I don't know…" TK admitted.

They were both pale and clinging to one another as they peered out across the balcony. As if hearing them, Nocnitmon let out a chilling laugh that they all heard perfectly despite the distance between them. Cody heard Matt gulp next to him.

"If anybody has any brilliant ideas," the rockstar said, trying and failing to keep his voice even, "now would probably be a good time to share them!"

Cody really wished he did. Instead, his mind had gone painfully blank with fear, so much so that he had even forgotten to breathe. He wondered idly if this was part of Nocnitmon's power, if she was able to strike fear into the hearts of her enemies simply by looking at them, or maybe it was the power of the darkness surrounding them as it filled them with hopelessness at ever getting out of this alive. Either way, Cody knew that the fear he was feeling was borderline irrational, but he couldn't seem to shake it.

"I've got one," TK said suddenly, and Cody had to tear his eyes from Nocnitmon to look at him, "but it's completely insane."

"I'll take insane," Matt said.

TK stared at him. "We jump."

"On second thought…"

Cody leaned forward to peer over the edge of the balcony at the little spec that the ground had become. He paled even further and swallowed thickly before turning to look at his DNA digivolving partner, wondering if his head injury in the Real World was affecting his judgment here in the Dream World.

"You're right. That is insane," he said.

"Do you trust me?" TK asked, looking between the three other digidestined.

Cody wanted to say _yes_ immediately, but he hesitated. Logically speaking, TK had been in a coma for close to four days now – longer if the time difference was greater than he calculated – and one of the injuries he sustained was a blow to the head. He wasn't sure if now was exactly the time to blindly trust TK, DNA digivolving partner or not, especially when he just told them to leap to their deaths. Matt and Kari exchanged an uncertain look, apparently thinking along Cody's lines as well.

"TK, of course we trust you," Cody said, trying to be diplomatic. "But think about what you're asking us to do. It's not exactly very safe sounding."

"And staying here is?" TK pointed out. He shot a nervous look over his shoulder as he took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, but the darkness hadn't advanced any further. It was just staying there, lapping at their shoes threateningly, but not engulfing them just yet. "Calumon said something earlier… He said that Nocnitmon could manipulate the dreams that she was in, but he couldn't."

"So?" Matt asked.

"I didn't realize it at the time, but… I think I did."

"Did what?" Kari asked, sounding as confused as Cody felt.

"Manipulate the dream," TK explained. "Kari, remember? When you first showed up, in the gym… That's not where I was before. I just kind of… appeared there. And you said you didn't do it."

"I didn't," she verified.

"Right before it happened, the only thing I was thinking about was finding you, making sure you were safe, and then… I thought I heard your voice and there was this tug in my gut…" TK's expression looked far off as if he was thinking on something that he couldn't quite explain. "And then there you were."

"And you think you did that?" Cody asked, wishing he didn't sound as skeptical as he did, but he couldn't help it.

"It happened again," TK continued. "When I left the gym, I was just trying to get away from Nocnitmon. That's all I was thinking about, trying to get somewhere safe, and then I ended up in that snowy landscape you guys found me in."

"Lucid dreaming," Matt said.

"What does that mean?" Kari asked.

Matt looked away from his brother to answer her, "You know when you're in a dream, and you suddenly realize you're dreaming, so you just take control of it? That's lucid dreaming. If it happens in regular dreams, it makes sense that it'd happen here too."

Cody shook his head. "That doesn't make sense," he protested. "We _know_ we're dreaming. We've known since we've gotten here. And we have complete control over what we do."

"And that's different to most people," TK said. "Calumon told me so. The fact that we're aware is not normal, but even then, we don't necessarily have the ability to change the world around us. I didn't when I first got here, but… I think I can now."

"Then why don't you do that right now?" Kari asked. "Why do we have to jump?"

"I'm with Kari on this one," Cody said. "Jumping seems like a really bad idea. Even if this is a dream."

"I think Nocnitmon's darkness is making it so that we can't leave," TK explained.

"And how exactly do we know that this darkness won't follow us when we jump, TK?" Matt asked. "If that happens, we're pretty much pancakes on the ground!"

"We don't know," TK admitted. "You're just going to have to trust me!" He glanced around at all three of them. "Do you?"

Cody sent a nervous look out across the balcony to Nocnitmon. She was still hovering there, and it may have been Cody's imagination, but she was starting to look a bit bored. He figured that was probably not a good sign. How long would it be before she decided to just destroy them? They were just kids. They didn't even have their digivices on them. If she deemed them unworthy of her attention, she could probably squash them like a bug and be done with it. It wasn't exactly the most comforting thought Cody had ever had.

"It's better than staying here and letting Nocnitmon finish us off," he finally said.

Matt and Kari stared at him. He expected them to start worrying about his sanity next, but instead, they slowly started to nod in agreement.

"Okay, TK," Matt said. "We'll do it your way."

TK smiled gratefully at both of them before he grabbed Kari's hand in one of his own and grabbed Matt's hand in his other. Cody followed his lead and took Matt's other hand. Already, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had never been scared of heights before, but the last thing he wanted to do was approach the balcony's ledge and jump off. TK proved that despite their nearly empathic connection, he still could not read Cody's mind, and inched toward the edge.

"On three, we jump," he ordered.

_And hopefully on four we don't die_, Cody thought desperately.

Matt squeezed his hand as if to reassure him, and Cody steeled himself. He could do this. He had complete faith in his DNA digivolving partner, so it was time to prove it.

"One…"

They climbed over the railing and balanced on the small two inches of landing provided to them on the other side.

"Two…"

Nocnitmon's voice sounded across the open landscape, "What do you think you're doing?" She sounded almost amused. Cody tried not to see this as a bad omen.

"Three!"

And then they jumped.

x X x

Just a little while ago, Calumon watched a scene unfold before his eyes that he never thought would have been possible: Someone fighting back against Nocnitmon and it actually working – even if only briefly. Nocnitmon looked genuinely frightened as TK stood there, two seconds away from attacking her with everything he had… What that was, Calumon wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to put anything past the human teenager at this point.

Nocnitmon probably thought she had merely made a miscalculation. But the boy that the Bringer of Nightmares assumed was broken ended up bent on exacting revenge on her, and he clearly didn't care if it killed him to do it.

That was, until TK suddenly disappeared.

The forest rippled as its creator left the area, leaving a dreamlike wave in its wake. In some places, the trees completely disappeared, leaving a hole in the ground led to a star-filled nothing. And with it, Matt's body faded into nothing. For a moment, Calumon felt relieved. Maybe, just maybe, TK had woken up…

Nocnitmon's confused face melted into a smirk as she shot him a look. "Don't hold your breath," she said, reading his mind. And then, she disappeared as well.

Calumon's eyes watered as he realized what happened. TK had not woken up. He simply escaped somehow. She was on his trail once again, and he would be in danger. This time, though, he couldn't warn him. He considered just leaving, wiping his little paws clean of this mess and escaping as he should have done the second that he realized TK was no ordinary dreamer. But just like what compelled him to stay the first time, urged him to stay this time as well. He left the fading forest in search of his new friend, hoping that he wasn't too late.

He wandered for what felt like hours. His feet ached as he moved from forest into city into gardens into snow-filled valleys. Just like most Dream Worlds, TK's didn't seem to have much logic to it. The landscape just moved from one location to the next, like a mismatched jigsaw puzzle. His fear dissipated somewhere between an abandoned ice cream parlor and an empty amusement park to instead be replaced with boredom.

"I don't like this at all," he complained to the empty air. "At least give me something interesting to do!"

Silence answered him.

He let out a forlorn sigh and continued his trek. He knew that at any moment he could abandon his search and return to his worry free life of jumping from dream to dream, but a part of him feared that idea. If he was a digimon, shouldn't he know that? Why was his memory so foggy? What exactly had he forgotten? And why did he feel the need to stick around to figure that out when Nocnitmon could grow tired of him at any moment and destroy him?

Calumon shivered in fear at the idea. He very nearly turned on his heel to run from the dream right then and there, but he managed to keep his feet planted long enough to calm himself down.

_Nocnitmon wouldn't destroy me_, he thought, trying to be reasonable. _We're all each other has. She may be scary sometimes, but she's never hurt me before. She's the only awake being I've ever known… I think. In a way, she's kind of my… friend._

TK had proven to be a better friend in just a few hours while he was asleep than Nocnitmon had ever been to him, but that still didn't make the thought fade from his mind. Nocnitmon was his friend. It was strange but also true. And if Nocnitmon was his friend that meant that he was Nocnitmon's friend too, right? So, she wouldn't hurt him. That didn't protect TK, but at least it was a start.

"TK!" Calumon called out. Snow was starting to cling to his little clawed feet as he trudged through the cold wet stuff that led up a hilly forest. "TK, where are you?"

Then something entirely strange happened. A tall wooden doll suddenly stood up far above the treetops. Its head looked like a house and the rest of its body was blocky and awkward. Calumon let out a horrified gasp and turned to run in the opposite direction, but his little legs refused to move. Instead, he fearfully turned back toward the gigantic doll only to find it just standing there at its full height. Calumon's entire body trembled, but he realized why he stayed put. TK was in there; he just knew it. Inky shadows climbed up the dolls legs and arms, painting the brightly colored body in blacks and grays. Soon, the shadows would consume whoever was inside. He couldn't let that happen.

Not knowing what exactly he could do, Calumon ran up to the nearest tree and climbed as quickly as he could to the highest branch. From this angle, he could see Nocnitmon in the distance, and he heard as she laughed in delight at the sight. Calumon whimpered, but he didn't move. The one good thing about being small was that he knew it was unlikely that he had been spotted. That gave him ample time to try to find TK amongst the doll's windows and doors. Then, suddenly—

_There!_ Along the mouth of the doll stood four teenagers on a balcony. They climbed over the edge as if getting ready to jump, and Calumon's eyes widened in alarm. Even from way down here, he could see TK's blond hair sticking out amongst the shadows. He stood next to another blonde that Calumon recognized as his dead brother Matt – which really didn't make any sense, but it would have to be analyzed later. A girl stood on TK's other side, and on Matt's other side stood a rather unremarkable boy.

Calumon almost bypassed him completely, but something returned his gaze to him. That something continued to grow like a sprouting flower, filling him with ache and longing as he stared at the young boy. He reminded him of somebody, somebody that he knew long ago. The memory was so fuzzy, but it became clearer the longer he stared.

"I… I know you…" he whispered, almost unwilling to believe his eyes. "Wait… I think I know you!"

The four teenagers jumped.

"Hiroki!"

And then they disappeared before his very eyes before they even touched the treetops.

x X x

Ken and Wormmon took up the rear. His eyes kept scanning the digimon and digidestined, trying to make sure that nobody lagged behind as they ran for their lives. He could see Tai at the front of the pack, leading them through alleyways and streets that made no sense. He had seen at least four buildings that he had recognized, but none of them had been where they were supposed to be. It all was very confusing, and Ken had the strongest feeling that they were running in circles.

"Where are we going?!" Mimi called out.

She wasn't looking too good. Running, apparently, wasn't one of Mimi's many hobbies, especially if being red in the face and panting were any indication.

"Away, seems like a pretty good idea!" Hawkmon replied.

"Those things are still right on our tail!" Gatomon said. "Keep it moving!"

Ken tried to do just that, but something was off about the group in front of him. It didn't click right away as he looked at all of the running digidestined and digimon in front of him, but when it did, he came to a sudden and quick stop.

"Ken," Wormmon said nervously, "what are you doing?"

"Where are Davis and Veemon?" he asked.

The rest of the group was still running ahead, having not realized that Ken had come to a sudden stop. Wormmon climbed onto his shoulders and looked back the way they came.

"I don't see them… but, Ken, if we don't move, those dark creatures are going to get us!"

Ken hesitated. He couldn't just leave. He didn't know where Davis was, but he knew that he couldn't be anywhere good. He was going to kill his best friend when he found him – if he found him.

Glancing from the retreating group of Digidestined as they disappeared down the street and toward their pursuers, Ken gritted his teeth and ducked into an alleyway. He would just have to double back. Davis had to be somewhere.

x X x

TK had enough time to think, _I really hope this works!_ before he jumped off of the balcony and started to fall. After that, he pushed all doubts aside. He couldn't second guess himself. Not when he was falling legs first toward a snowy forest floor, his brother to one side and his maybe-but-maybe-not-because-he-never-got-the-chance-to-ask-girlfriend on the other side. If he allowed his uncertainties and doubts to overwhelm him right now, they all were going to die.

He concentrated.

The world around them rippled, and he felt the strangest sensation of tugging on his navel before it finally dissipated. Heat replaced the cold, light replaced the darkness, but they were still falling. TK's eyes flew open to see them headed toward an ocean surface.

Well, at least it wasn't concrete.

TK hit the water feet first and dropped several meters below the surface before he finally stopped falling. His hands were empty, and he spun, panicking, thinking he had lost the others when he saw their dark flailing shapes in the water as well. TK kicked up to the surface and gasped in the fresh salty air. The nearby shore was a good swim away, but other than the beach and palm trees waiting for them, they were surrounded by nothing but water. Nocnitmon was nowhere in sight.

"You dumped us in the ocean!" Matt sputtered out.

"What?" TK asked innocently. "Would you have rather hit the ground?"

"Shut up," he grumbled, sweeping his soaked hair out of his face.

"You did it," Cody said, amazed.

TK turned toward him. "Yeah, I guess I did…"

"Are we safe?" Kari asked. "I don't see Nocnitmon anywhere."

"Maybe for a little while," TK said. "She has a really bad habit of finding me."

"Then let's not stay here," Cody said. "Come on."

He took off toward the shore and the others followed. TK wasn't sure how much time had passed when he finally dragged himself up onto the beach, but he'd realized that thinking about time in this place was relative anyway. His arms burned from the swim, and his body ached as if all of this were real. He groaned and collapsed out onto the sand, his chest heaving as he took a breather. The others were laid out next to him, just as exhausted.

TK was just starting to think that he might actually feel sleepy for the first time since arriving here when—

"You're getting better at that, Child of Hope."

TK leapt to his feet and spun, coming face-to-face with Nocnitmon. The others scrambled to their feet. Matt put himself in front of TK as Kari clung to his hand and Cody stood by his side. Nocnitmon smirked and didn't seem at all concerned by their very brief escape. In fact, she almost seemed almost amused.

"You won't get away again," she promised. She raised her hands over her head and called out, "_NIGHTMARE MIRAGE!_"

She seemed to explode with darkness, and before the four of them could even think to run, they were engulfed in it.

x X x

Davis collapsed against the alleyway wall. He didn't know what buildings he was nestled between – they all looked strangely out of place to him – but this was as good of a hiding place as any. He winced as he pulled up his pants leg to get a good look at his ankle, and his wince turned into a grimace at the sight of the reddened lump the size of an orange. His doctor was going to kill him.

"This is so not my day," Davis groaned.

Veemon crouched down next to his leg. "I don't think that looks very good. We need to find the others."

Davis slid down the wall until he was sitting, his legs outstretched in front of him. He turned toward Veemon with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, dude, I think I'm benched again."

"You can't just sit down and give up!" Veemon protested. "Our friends are counting on us!"

"If we catch up with them, Veemon, we're only going to be slowing them down." Davis dropped his head into his hands. "It's like Coach said… you gotta know when it's time to quit."

"What are you saying…?"

Davis lifted his head to turn toward him. "I'm saying that we're done. Hopefully the others can defeat this Nocnitmon chick without us."

"Davis! Snap out of it! This isn't like you—" Veemon stopped suddenly as his eyes shot upward.

The hairs on the back of Davis's neck stood on end. "What is it…?"

"Something's coming," Veemon said.

Davis looked up, and he watched in horror as the blue sky turned black.

x X x

"Do you think this was such a good idea?" Wormmon asked.

Ken slid his back along a wall as he avoided another patrol of those dark creatures. His heart thumped in his chest, and his hands grew sweaty with nerves. He didn't respond to Wormmon, but he was starting to think that his partner might have a point. This was probably not one of his better ideas. He looked around a corner when he felt the strangest sensation of ice traveling down his spine, a pure feeling of dread. His mouth went dry. He turned slowly toward his partner.

"Wormmon…?"

"K-K-Ken…" Wormmon stuttered out. "Something bad's happening…"

Ken slowly turned to look up at the sky just as blue turned to darkness.


End file.
